'IoS' poll: MPs reject abortion reform

A free vote of the House of Commons would keep the present 24-week limit for abortions, according to a poll of MPs commissioned by The Independent on Sunday.

The survey will come as a blow to anti-abortionists who had hoped to cut the limit to 22 weeks, after the Prime Minister suggested last week a new vote could be held soon. The last time the Commons voted on the issue was in 1990, when the limit was reduced from 28 to 24 weeks.

In our poll of 150 MPs, carried out by CommunicateResearch, 62 per cent said the 24-week limit was "about right", 37 per cent said it was "too long and should be reduced" and three MPs (2 per cent) said it was "too short and should be increased".

The poll also found most MPs oppose any attempt to ban late abortions - after 24 weeks - that are carried out because of the risk of delivering a disabled baby. Such an amendment was opposed by 53 per cent and supported by 36 per cent.

Abortions may also be carried out later than 24 weeks in the case of serious threat to the mother's health. In 2002, only 114 abortions were carried out after 24 weeks in England and Wales. Last week, Lord Steel of Aikwood, who sponsored the original 1967 Abortion Act, urged Parliament to consider a lower limit after photographs in newspapers showed foetuses moving in the womb at 12 weeks.

Mr Blair told MPs last Wednesday that "if the scientific evidence has shifted, then it is obviously sensible for us to take that into account".