Oral Answers to Questions

Diana Johnson Excerpts

Thursday 12th July 2018 Commons Chamber

The right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, was asked—

[Diana Johnson (Kingston upon Hull North) (Lab)]

1. To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, what progress the Church of England has made on its target to increase ordinations by 2020; and what proportion of recent new ordinands are women.

[The Second Church Estates Commissioner (Dame Caroline Spelman)]

I would first like to congratulate all those ordained deacon or priest last month. Within the hon. Lady’s diocese of York, four women and three men were ordained priest, alongside eight women and two men who were ordained deacon. Nationally, the Church of England is on target to increase the number of people who are recommended for training in 2020 by 50%.

[Diana Johnson]

I thank the right hon. Lady for that answer—it is good to hear that the stained glass ceiling is being well and truly smashed. However, is it not about time that, in the evolution of the established Church of England, the special arrangements that were put in place for those who do not accept the equality and ministry of women were abandoned?