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| Abortion law anniversary marked | Abortion law anniversary marked |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Religious and anti-abortion groups are due to stage events marking 40 years since abortion was legalised. | Religious and anti-abortion groups are due to stage events marking 40 years since abortion was legalised. |
| Activists will meet outside the Houses of Parliament to call for a reduction in the upper time limit for abortion. | Activists will meet outside the Houses of Parliament to call for a reduction in the upper time limit for abortion. |
| They will then walk to Westminster Cathedral for a service commemorating 6.7m abortions performed since 1967. | They will then walk to Westminster Cathedral for a service commemorating 6.7m abortions performed since 1967. |
| Lord Steel, who piloted the 1967 act, has said too many abortions are taking place - but ministers say there is no medical case for further restrictions. | Lord Steel, who piloted the 1967 act, has said too many abortions are taking place - but ministers say there is no medical case for further restrictions. |
| Terminations | Terminations |
| Campaigners against abortion began their protest on Friday night when they projected the number of abortions on to the riverside face of the Houses of Parliament. | |
| In the 40 years since abortion has been legal in Britain, the number of terminations taking place each year has increased from 22,000 to almost 200,000. | In the 40 years since abortion has been legal in Britain, the number of terminations taking place each year has increased from 22,000 to almost 200,000. |
| However, on Wednesday Health Minister Dawn Primarolo said the government did not believe there is sufficient scientific evidence to lower the legal abortion limit of 24 weeks. | However, on Wednesday Health Minister Dawn Primarolo said the government did not believe there is sufficient scientific evidence to lower the legal abortion limit of 24 weeks. |
| This anniversary is marking a tragedy which continues every year Julia Millington, Alive and Kicking She said nothing had persuaded the Department of Health that survival rates had improved for extremely premature babies born before that time. | This anniversary is marking a tragedy which continues every year Julia Millington, Alive and Kicking She said nothing had persuaded the Department of Health that survival rates had improved for extremely premature babies born before that time. |
| Julia Millington, political co-ordinator for Alive and Kicking, the pro-life alliance organising Saturday's events, said the campaign was intended to raise awareness of the rising number of abortions and call for a change in the law. | Julia Millington, political co-ordinator for Alive and Kicking, the pro-life alliance organising Saturday's events, said the campaign was intended to raise awareness of the rising number of abortions and call for a change in the law. |
| She said: "We believe there is increasing public concern about these latest figures and we want to draw attention to this anniversary. | She said: "We believe there is increasing public concern about these latest figures and we want to draw attention to this anniversary. |
| "Commemorations usually mark the end of something but this anniversary is marking a tragedy which continues every year." | "Commemorations usually mark the end of something but this anniversary is marking a tragedy which continues every year." |