MPs to vote on abortion time limit

By Tim Castle

LONDON (Reuters) - Anti-abortionist MPs will try to reduce the time limit for abortions from 24 weeks on Tuesday as parliament debates for a second day far-reaching changes to fertility legislation.

MPs have submitted various amendments calling for the limit to be reduced to as low as 12 weeks, although many of those supporting a change are expected to rally round a proposed cut to 20 weeks.

The government does not support any alteration to the current legislation on abortion, but has allowed the amendments as part of the debate on its Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill.

MPs have been given a free vote on the issue, as is traditional on abortion matters.

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Conservative leader David Cameron has said he will vote for a reduction, while Prime Minister Gordon Brown says he will vote against any change.

Pro-life campaigners say the law should be amended because medical science now allows some babies born before 24 weeks to survive.

But pro-choice MPs cite recent medical evidence from the University of Leicester showing there has been no improvement in survival rate over more than a decade.