The government is set to get serious about delivering equal rights for gays and lesbians, a leading Blairite minister has said.

In an interview with this website, Baroness Sally Morgan says the government will examine the issue of registering same-sex relationships but rules out licensing gay marriages. She said the government would closely examine the system of registration set up by Ken Livingstone.

"There's no suggestion whatsoever that the government would move on the issue of marriage, we are very clear that marriage remains as it is and there would be no change in that. We are watching the debate on the GLA registration scheme with interest and we are also looking at what's happening in other EU countries and I think there is space for a discussion on those issues."

Morgan, the minister for women who heads the government's Equality Unit, has promised to root out homophobia in the workplace - a major problem identified by gay rights groups such as Stonewall.

"Under the EU employment directive, for the first time we'll have legislation on employment rights and sexual orientation in the workplace because there is a lot of hidden discrimination," she said.

"There's covert bullying and other forms of discrimination, like suggestion at interview stage, that you're not fit for a job if you haven't got a partner to bring along with you. I'm confident that we'll be able to introduce it in a way that isn't heavy on regulation but actually will produce the real change that's needed."

Same-sex rights

She also signalled that the government was considering pension and tenancy rights for same sex couples. "There is an increasing public debate on rights for same sex partnerships and I think it's one that the government is watching with interest because there are clearly areas where most people would recognise that at the moment there is some unfairness," she said. "Any of those need to be examined in real detail before we move forward."

Angela Mason, the executive director of Stonewall, welcomed the announcement.

"We're very encouraged by Baroness Sally Morgan's remarks. Stonewall is not fighting for gay marriage. We recognise that a number of complex legal issues will have to be considered, but on balance there is a growing consensus, reflected in Sally Morgan's remarks, that rights and recognition for same-sex partners are long overdue in this country," he said.