Over half of babies born to British women this year were born outside of marriage, according to new figures.

The Office of National Statistics (ONS) has released new figures which show that marriage among Britons is now at its lowest level since records began and that a majority of babies born to British women are born out of wedlock.

ONS figures reveal that there has been a steady decline in marriage among Britons since the 1970s, when less then one in ten children were born outside of marriage. In the 1950s only one in twenty children were born outside of marriage.

It is expected that by 2012 over half the births in the UK as a whole will be outside of marriage.

Although the majority of British women already have their children outside of wedlock, among Pakistani and Indian women the figure is very different. Nearly all Pakistani women and 80 per cent of Indian women have their children within marriage.

Iain Duncan Smith MP, founder of the Centre for Social Justice, told the Telegraph, "We should not be surprised because for the last 20 years or more the state has connived with the metropolitan classes to tell everyone that the structure of their family does not matter in bringing up children.

"The Government has progressively removed any support for marriage, and the benefit system discriminates against couples who marry. This is a significant social landmark but it is also a very tragic story. People should recognise that what has happened has done more to damage the prospects of children than at any time for more than 100 years."

At this year's Committee of the Rights of the Child's Day of General Discussion in September, Caritas Europe's Social Policy Officer Adriana Opromolla told UN, government and NGO representatives that securing the rights of the child started with putting the family first.

"The development of the child generally begins in the home," said Ms Opromolla. "Good development requires families to have sufficient means, living standards, and access to services, but also social engagement," she said.

The ONS has also released figures which say the population of the UK could reach 71 million by 2031. Migrants to the UK and their children are projected to account for 69 per cent of that growth.