Bishop Oliver stood down from his post on Sunday

The Right Reverend John Oliver said proposals to validate civil partnerships would give gay couples important pension and inheritance rights.

The plans were outlined in the Queen's Speech earlier this week.

In his last interview with the BBC before he retires, Bishop Oliver rejected suggestions that allowing gay marriages would cause further splits in the Church.

"It's taken 50 years, after all, for us to move on from making homosexual activity a criminal offence.

"The change that's taken place in society has been quite remarkable.

"The Church is quite often not the first organisation to change and that's for good reasons.

"But I think in this case the Church is beginning to learn and to change, and I don't think this is going to be a deeply serious issue."