Catholic church wants to review the current law

Cardinal Cormal Murphy-O'Connor, head of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, has brought the issue of abortion limits back into the headlines. Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor is expected at a private meeting with the Department of Health, to call for the current 24-week abortion limit to be lowered.

The Cardinal will say that medical advances are such that the current 24-week limit is now outdated. Foetuses born before 24 weeks can now survive through medical intervention. However pro-choice campaigners point out that the number of women having late abortions is extremely low. The latest figures show that of the 185,000 abortions carried out in 2004, only 124 were carried out at 24 weeks.

'The government has no plans to change the law on abortion,' said a spokesperson for the Department of Health.

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