Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has written to the Government's senior law officer for urgent clarification why two doctors accused of arranging abortions based on the sex of an unborn baby will not face prosecution.

Mr Hunt said abortion on the grounds of gender selection was against the law and completely ­unacceptable and he had written to Attorney General Dominic Grieve about the decision.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided that, although there was enough evidence to justify a prosecution, it would not be in the public interest.

Director of Public ­Prosecutions Keir Starmer said it was a very difficult and finely balanced decision.

Jenny Hopkins, the CPS London deputy chief crown prosecutor, said the fact the abortions had not actually taken place influenced the decision not to proceed.