Not everyone in George Bush's cabinet agrees with the president's decision - one of his first on taking office - to end US funding of family planning agencies offering abortion services.

His secretary of state, Colin Powell, said yesterday that his personal views differed from White House policy.

When asked on ABC's This Week whether he supported the policy, he replied: "It is the policy.

"I have other views that are my personal views, but this is the policy of the government."

Unlike many Republicans, Mr Powell defends a woman's right to choose an abortion.

In response to Mr Bush's ruling, Britain and its EU partners are poised to fill some of the gap.

This year's funding is unaffected, but the UN Population Fund and the International Planned Parenthood Federation are likely to suffer badly later on, as will many other groups.

About 80,000 women die annually from unsafe abortions. EU sources said the European Commission, the world's biggest overseas aid donor, could not provide core funding but it could support individual projects.

Clare Short, the international development secretary, is due to discuss the matter with the EU commissioner for development, Poul Nielson, in London this week.

Ms Short wants to avoid a row with the US but is anxious for Britain to play an active role in population policy, officials said.

Her Dutch colleague, Eveline Herfkens, has also urged a "quick and strong" European response to Mr Bush's cuts.

Brussels already gives family planning groups €47m (£30m), mostly for contraception and educational work in Asia.