No medical evidence indicates that the limit of 24 weeks for abortions in the United Kingdom should be reduced, according to a government minister.

The health minister Dawn Primarolo defended the existing time limit in UK law when she gave evidence to the House of Commons science and technology committee last week, as part of its inquiry into whether abortion laws in England and Wales need to be updated.

“The Department of Health's view and the advice to me is . . . that the act works as intended and doesn't require further amendment at the present time,” Ms …