A GROUP of the region’s MPs was defeated in an attempt to toughen the law that bans abortion on the grounds of gender.

Five North-East and North Yorkshire MPs backed a controversial amendment to update 1967 legislation that was drafted before it was possible to identify the sex of a foetus.

Supporters of the move said the law needed to “clarify beyond doubt in statute that sex selective abortion is illegal in UK law”.

It followed a newspaper investigation which filmed doctors agreeing to carry out terminations because the unborn babies were girls, although no charges were brought.

Labour’s Pat Glass (Durham North West) and Mary Glindon (Tyneside North) joined Conservatives James Wharton (Stockton South), Robert Goodwill (Scarborough and Whitby) and Julian Sturdy (York Outer) in backing the amendment.

But it was opposed by the vast majority of the region’s MPs, after warnings that it would be impossible for parents who wanted to abort a foetus with a congenital disorder related to their gender.

There were also concerns that the amendment would criminalise pregnant women, as well as the doctors authorising the abortion.

And it could prevent women confiding in their doctor that they felt under pressure to abort their child because of its gender, MPs were told.

The proposal, put forward by Tory backbencher Fiona Bruce, was defeated by 292 votes to 201. MPs did back a review of the extent of sex selective abortion.

David Cameron and the department of health said sex selective abortion was “already illegal”, with guidance issued only last year.