Less than a quarter of women in England and Wales are in favour of a more radical abortion regime, new polling figures suggest.

A ComRes poll of 1,863 people in England and Wales for the social policy charity CARE (Christian Action Research and Education), reveals that when offered the choice of either the status quo, tighter restrictions on abortion, or making abortion available on demand or for any reason up to 24 weeks, just 21 per cent of women and only 26 per cent of men would support the latter option.

Meanwhile, 23 per cent of women think abortion is already too easily available and would support a more selective approach to when abortions are permitted.

Significantly, 67 per cent of women favour either the status quo or a more restrictive abortion regime.

The results also show that the majority of men and women are opposed to sex-selective abortion with only two per cent of women and six per cent of men in favour of allowing abortion if the parents want a child with a different sex.

CARE said the polling exposed the lack of support for the radical abortion regime envisioned by 'decriminalisation' proponents.

The polling comes ahead of tomorrow's (Tuesday, October 23) debate in the House of Commons on abortion law provision in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Diana Johnson, Labour MP for Kinston upon Hull North, will introduce a Ten Minute Rule Bill which is likely to amend Section 58 and repeal Section 59 of the Offences Against the Persons Act (1861) (OAPA) and leave Northern Ireland, England and Wales with one of the most liberal abortion regimes anywhere in the world.

It would also render the 1967 Act (which sets out exceptions to the OAPA) null and void. According to CARE, it would remove the efficacy of existing safeguards and open the door to sex-selective abortions, more Down's syndrome babies being aborted and abortion on demand up to 24 weeks.

CARE's chief executive Nola Leach said: 'This polling helps to counter the impression that there is a groundswell of momentum behind this push for a more extreme abortion law.

'Actually, what our poll shows is that the approach to abortion being advocated by a small, but vocal group of MPs and by abortion providers is completely out of step with what most women want.'

Liberalising abortion laws, she said, was 'not what the public wants'.

'If MPs want to demonstrate that they are in step with public opinion, they will vote against this Ten Minute Rule Bill,' she said.