The abortion limit in Britain should be set according to what people believe rather than the science, the minister for women has said.
The comments, branded "bizarre and offensive" by British pregnancy advisory service, Britain's biggest abortion provider, were made on Radio 4's Woman's Hour.
Maria Miller, who has admitted she would like to see the abortion time limit reduced from 24 to 20 weeks, told Radio 4: "I want to make sure that the law keeps pace with people’s views on this issue.
Maria Miller said the abortion limit in Britain should be set according to what people believe rather than the science
"Whether it’s to do with medics, whether it’s to do with women themselves, whether it’s to do with children’s health, it’s a small reduction which I think would go a long way to make sure that there’s a pressure on the medical profession to keep evolving the way that they assess neonatal health and the way they assess maternal health as well."
A spokesperson for Education For Choice told The Huffington Post UK they were "flabbergasted by Maria Miller's assertion that the abortion time limit should be based on 'people's views' rather than science."
"Her claim that a reduction in the time limit would 'encourage doctors to do more to save the lives of premature babies' is particularly offensive and misguided. Public health policy should be determined by robust scientific evidence rather than subject to the whim of politicians' moral musings."
Bpas hit out at Miller, complaining that she should display compassion for the reality of women’s lives.
A spokesperson said: "Bpas provides many of the post-20 week abortions in this country, but Mrs Miller has never contacted us to find out about the work we do and the women we care for.
"We would be very happy to explain to her exactly what impact her proposed reduction in the time limit would have on the health and wellbeing of women and their families."
Health minister Anna Soubry recently told parliament she personally did not support a reduction in the abortion time limit from 24 to 20 weeks, and said the government had no plans to change the law.