“We all agree that the child’s best interests should be a priority… Adoption is something society offers to give a family to children who do not have one, so we must strive to give them a family that resembles the natural family made up of a mother, father and children,” he told The Times.

Labour leader Joseph Muscat and Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi have both said adoption should be based on the child’s best interests and not the sexual orientation of the adoptive parents.

Mgr Scicluna said he agreed that the best interests of the child should be the driving factor. Therefore, the Church believed that allowing a gay couple to adopt was not in the best interest of the child.