Most people in Britain oppose same-sex marriage, a new Government report has revealed.

The report comes at a time when politicians in Westminster and Holyrood are considering redefining marriage to allow for homosexual marriage.

According to the report the majority of people in all age groups asked, apart from young women, were not in favour of same-sex marriage.

Support

The report, entitled Civil Partnerships Five Years On, was published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) last week.

It showed that amongst 30- to 49-year-old men only 35 per cent supported homosexual marriage.

The figure was higher among women in the same age group, but still under 50 per cent.

Adoption

The ONS report also showed that most age groups were not in favour of same-sex adoption.

Homosexual adoption was legalised in 2002. In 2007 Labour introduced Sexual Orientation Regulations (SORs), which outlawed discrimination in the provision of goods and services.

Following the regulations faith-based adoption agencies were forced to either close down or ditch their religious ethos.

Marriage

In Westminster a consultation on how, not if, same-sex marriage should be legalised will begin in the spring.

In Scotland a public consultation was launched earlier this month on whether to change the definition of marriage to allow for same-sex marriage.

The Scottish Government is also asking the public whether religious ceremonies should be allowed for homosexual civil partnerships.

Opposition

The attempts to change the definition of marriage have come up against strong resistance, with the head of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland voicing his opposition.

The Stagecoach tycoon Sir Brian Souter has also spoken out against redefining marriage, describing traditional marriage as the building block of society.

And former Home Office minister Ann Widdecombe has said marriage is a unique institution which should not be redefined for same-sex marriage.