GENERAL SYNOD
November 2008

QUESTIONS

of which notice has been given under Standing Orders 105-109.

INDEX

QUESTIONS 1–2 SECRETARY GENERAL

Administrative Officer for Readers: cutting of post Q1

Anglican Communion Covenant: effect on relationship with the Crown Q2

QUESTION 3 CLERK TO THE SYNOD

Holy Communion: admission of non-Synod guests Q3

QUESTIONS 4–8 MINISTRY DIVISION

Pooling arrangements for ordinands’ costs: revision Q4

Regional Training Partnerships: active diocesan participation Q5

Ordination statistics for 2008 Q6

Training in making grant applications Q7

Dignity at Work: circulation and debate Q8

QUESTION 9 DEPLOYMENT, REMUNERATION AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE COMMITTEE

Retired and NSM clergy: funeral and wedding fees Q9

QUESTIONS 10–11 BUSINESS COMMITTEE

Paul Eddy’s PMM: debate Q10

Downloading Synod pictures Q11

QUESTION 12 CLERGY DISCIPLINE COMMISSION

Tribunal hearings: costs Q12

QUESTION 13 DIOCESES COMMISSION

Policies and programme Q13

QUESTIONS 14–15 LITURGICAL COMMISSION

Bible Availability motion: steps taken Q14

Use of certain Bible versions at Prayer Book services Q15

QUESTIONS 16–19 CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

Private Eye statement Q16

Present financial climate: funding commitments and use of capital Q17

‘Traditional’ parsonages: number in use today Q18

Lambeth Conference contribution: powers and impact Q19

QUESTION 20 PENSIONS BOARD

Present financial climate: additional pension contributions Q20

QUESTIONS 21–26 ARCHBISHOPS’ COUNCIL

Diocesan deficits Q21

Strategy for leading the Church through the financial crisis Q22

Talent and Calling recommendations: progress Q23

Lambeth Conference: cost to Council and Commissioners Q24–25

Lambeth Conference contribution: powers and impact Q26

QUESTIONS 27–28 HOUSE OF BISHOPS

Women bishops: going back and questioning Q27

Suffragan and diocesan bishops: colleges Q28

SECRETARY GENERAL

Mr Robin Stevens (Chelmsford) to ask the Secretary General:

Q1. What thought has been given to how cutting the post of Administrative Officer for Readers at Church House may be seen as demonstrating the value that the Church places on Reader ministry?

Mr William Fittall to reply as Secretary General:

A. The Ministry Division is committed to supporting Reader Ministry in several ways:

• The appointment of a National Moderator for Reader Training to replace the present post-holder whose term comes to an end in December 2008.
• The maintenance of a database of Readers in training and in ministry.
• Places for the Executive Secretary and the Associate Secretary of the Central Readers Council within the division, with full office facilities.
• A clear and valued role for these CRC officers as colleagues and a staff seat for the Executive Secretary at the Ministry Council.

The reduction in administrative support for the Reader magazine is in the context of a general reduction of support services within the division, in which over 4.15 fte posts have already been saved in order to keep costs down and in the expectation that staff will undertake more of their own routine administration.

Mr Justin Brett (Oxford) to ask the Secretary General:

Q2. What research has been undertaken to establish the effect of the Church of England’s participation in an Anglican Communion Covenant upon the relationship between the Church of England and the Crown, given the Queen’s position as Supreme Governor of the Church of England, and the consequent tension between her prerogative and the potential demands of a disciplinary process within the proposed Covenant?

Mr William Fittall to reply as Secretary General:

A. The Church of England response of 19 December 2007 to the initial draft Covenant noted on page 13 that ‘it would be unlawful for the General Synod to delegate its decision making powers to the primates, and that this therefore means that it could not sign up to a Covenant which purported to give the primates of the Communion the ability to give ‘direction’ about the course of action that the Church of England should take.’ The same would be true in relation to delegation to any other body of the Anglican Communion. Since as a matter of law the Church of England could not submit itself to any such external power of direction, any separate possible difficulties in relation to the Royal Prerogative could not in practice arise.

CLERK TO THE SYNOD

Mr Michael Burbeck (Salisbury) to ask the Clerk to the Synod:

Q3. Is it possible to make all the morning worship sessions open to non-Synod guests, particularly family and observing clergy, so that the communion can be shared on every occasion with all who want to partake?

Mr David Williams to reply as Clerk to the Synod:

A. Everyone is most welcome to join the early morning worship in the Assembly Hall in London (where a visitor pass can be obtained from the reception desks) and the Central Hall in York (no pass required). In the case of worship immediately before a morning session begins, however, non-Synod guests can only be accommodated insofar as there is space in the Public Gallery. Worship sheets are provided for guests in the Public Gallery.

MINISTRY DIVISION

Mr Graham Smith (Gloucester) to ask the Chairman of the Ministry Division:

Q4. The proposal that the pooling arrangements for ordinands’ costs are revised – such that costs are shared between dioceses within the year that the costs are incurred – has been welcomed. Given the wider proposals for a review of training for ministry, aired at the Inter-Diocesan Finance Forum in September, can assurance be given that this longer-term review will not delay resolution of this issue within the current pooling arrangements and is there a timetable for phased implementation of this limited revision to the existing scheme?

The Bishop of Norwich to reply as Chairman of the Ministry Division:

A. A small working group is due to meet in the next few weeks to look at the issue. The Group aims to send a proposal for consultation to the dioceses shortly, along with a suggested timetable for the revision of the pooling arrangement. It is hoped that in future it may be possible to make the necessary adjustments within the actual financial year of payment.

Dr Edmund Marshall (Wakefield) to ask the Chairman of the Ministry Division:

Q5. Which dioceses are actively participating in the establishment and operation of Regional Training Partnerships covering their areas?

The Bishop of Norwich to reply as Chairman of the Ministry Division:

A. The great majority of dioceses are actively participating in the RTPs. Formal RTPs have been or are about to be established in the four northern RTPs and Eastern, South Central, Thames North and West Midlands. Active discussion continues in the East Midlands and there is some cross-diocesan working on training projects in South East and South West. A list of dioceses participating in each RTP is available from the Ministry Division on request.

Mr Adrian Greenwood (Southwark) to ask the Chairman of the Ministry Division:

Q6. How many men and how many women were ordained priest or deacon in the Church of England (at Petertide and Michaelmas) this year (2008)?

The Bishop of Norwich to reply as Chairman of the Ministry Division:

A. The final figures for the 2008 ordinations have yet to be collated to enable the publication of definitive statistics. Once these final figures are to hand I will write to Mr Greenwood.

Mr Andrew Presland (Peterborough) to ask the Chairman of the Ministry Division:

Q7. What plans, if any, does the Ministry Division have for ensuring that training is available for clergy in writing grant applications, and in engaging with partner organizations, such as local authorities, given the increasingly active role of the church as a service provider within the voluntary sector, and in the light of the Moral, But No Compass report ‘for the Church of England and to the Nation’ having recommended that such activities be provided as part of ministerial training?

The Bishop of Norwich to reply as Chairman of the Ministry Division:

A. The Ministry Division continues to ensure that pre-ordination training equips clergy to engage with local communities, particularly through reflection on approaches to ministry to the whole parish and through placement schemes. Further, training in writing grant applications already takes place in dioceses as part of the provision of continuing ministerial development (CMD). However, recognising the gifts of the church more broadly, the priest may not always be the best person to be engaged in this activity, e.g. if there is a professional fundraiser in a congregation. Training is therefore often tailored, for project teams, and involves a breadth of providers in a holistic approach, e.g. the missioner, stewardship adviser, local authority and an experienced church that has already successfully been involved in grant bidding. This work is supported by the National Adviser for CMD, who recently contributed to the National Council for Voluntary Organisations’ first national skills conference for the Third Sector.

The Revd Hugh Lee (Oxford) to ask the Chairman of the Ministry Division:

Q8. When will the booklet, published by the Ministry Division, Dignity at Work: Working together to reduce the incidence of bullying and harassment be sent to all members of the General Synod and when will there be a debate and/or presentation on it in General Synod, given that the Chair of the Business Committee said in her reply to the debate on the Agenda in July 2008 “I am sure the Ministry Division may well be bringing that to us and it will indeed be welcomed”?

The Bishop of Norwich to reply as Chairman of the Ministry Division:

A. The booklet is available to download on the Church of England website at http://www.cofe.anglican.org/lifeevents/ministry/workofmindiv/dracsc/dignity/dignity.doc. Any decision about a debate would be a matter for the Business Committee.

DEPLOYMENT, REMUNERATION AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE COMMITTEE

Mr Adrian Greenwood (Southwark) to ask the Chairman of the Deployment Remuneration and Conditions of Service Committee:

Q9. In relation to the review of parochial fees, what progress has been made with recommendation j in GS 1703 with regard to issues affecting retired clergy and non-stipendiary ministers who have to take unpaid or annual leave from their paid employment in order to conduct funerals and weddings at the request of the incumbent, and when will a final decision be taken?

The Bishop of Ripon and Leeds to reply as Chairman of the Deployment, Remuneration, and Conditions of Service Committee:

A. The terms of reference for a working party to take forward recommendations g to j of GS 1703 were agreed at the meeting of the Deployment, Remuneration and Conditions of Service Committee at its meeting on 12 November. They provide that the group’s recommendations will go to DRACSC in November 2009 and, if accepted, to the Archbishops’ Council in January 2010.

BUSINESS COMMITTEE

Mrs Joanna Monckton (Lichfield) to ask the Chairman of the Business Committee:

Q10. As Mr Paul Eddy’s Private Member’s Motion on the Uniqueness of Christ in Multi-faith Britain was not debated in July, can the Committee give a guaranteed assurance that this PMM will be debate at the February 2009 Group of Sessions of the General Synod?

The Revd Prebendary Kay Garlick to reply as Chairman of the Business Committee:

A. The Business Committee will consider the content of the Agenda for the February Synod at its meeting on 9 December, including the scheduling of Private Members’ Motions. Until then, no assurances can be given about the inclusion of any particular item of Synod business.

Canon Sue Rodgers (Portsmouth) to ask the Chairman of the Business Committee:

Q11. Of the hundreds of photographs taken during groups of sessions by press photographers, none are available via the Communications Office to members of the Synod. Given the increasing use of PowerPoint for presentations and the encouragement given in ‘Getting the Message Across’ to develop effective communications, this means that members cannot show the working of the Synod effectively to those in our dioceses who are unable to be present in the Public Gallery. Can the Business Committee take steps to rectify this situation, whether by enabling members to download a selection of pictures from the Synod website or otherwise?

The Revd Prebendary Kay Garlick to reply as Chairman of the Business Committee:

A. This is a helpful suggestion and the Committee will explore the feasibility of creating a photo gallery in the General Synod pages of the Church of England website, with careful regard to issues of cost, privacy and updating responsibilities.

CLERGY DISCIPLINE COMMISSION

Mr Andrew Presland (Peterborough) to ask the Chairman of the Clergy Discipline Commission:

Q12. What are the current best estimates of the total costs incurred in carrying out each of the tribunal hearings that have taken place so far under the Clergy Discipline Measure?

His Honour Judge John Bullimore to reply as Deputy Chairman of the Clergy Discipline Commission:

A. Seven cases so far have had full tribunal hearings. The current best estimate of the total costs for those cases from referral to the tribunal to final determination is approximately £194,000. Within that total, costs vary from case to case depending on a number of different factors. The lowest cost total for a tribunal case is estimated to be £8,300, and the highest cost total was £66,087. There has been one appeal; the total additional cost for that appeal is estimated to be £11,400.

DIOCESES COMMISSION

Dr Edmund Marshall (Wakefield) to ask the Chairman of the Dioceses Commission:

Q13. What are the Commission’s current policies and programme of reviews in pursuit of section 3 of the Dioceses, Pastoral and Mission Measure 2007?

Dr Priscilla Chadwick to reply as Chairman of the Dioceses Commission:

A. The Commission came into existence on 1 September. It has held its first meeting and has begun to develop policies and establish a programme of work. Sub-sections (1) to (4) of section 3 of the Measure are not yet in force. The Commission proposes that they should be brought into force on 1 February 2009 and envisages announcing at that time how it plans to carry out the duties that section 3 will impose.

LITURGICAL COMMISSION

Mr Timothy Cox (Blackburn) to ask the Chairman of the Liturgical Commission:

Q14. The private member’s motion on Bible Availability passed resoundingly at the February 2008 group of sessions sought to improve the ease of access and availability of Bibles in all church services and churches and requested “all dioceses to take steps to give effect to this desire in their churches”. Is the Commission aware of the steps, if any, taken by dioceses to that end and can it offer any guidance as to what those steps might be?

The Bishop of Wakefield to reply as Chairman of the Liturgical Commission:

A. The Commission is not aware of what steps, if any, might have been taken by dioceses in order to promote the desire, supported by the Synod, that there should in every church be a Bible to which those entering the building, whether for worship or otherwise, have access. It is only the parishes themselves that can give effect to that desire. The suggestion might be passed on to the parishes in communications from the dioceses to their parishes, such as a diocesan mailing.

Note
The text of the Synod’s resolution was:
‘That this Synod, believing in the importance of Scripture, desire that anyone entering a church building or attending a church service should have easy and unfettered access one of the versions of the Bible referred to in the note by the House of Bishops on Versions of Scripture dated 9th October 2002 or one of the versions of the Bible that may be used by virtue of the Prayer Book Versions of the Bible Measure, and would request all dioceses to take steps to give effect to this desire in their churches.’

Mr Timothy Cox (Blackburn) to ask the Chairman of the Liturgical Commission:

Q15. Could the Chairman elaborate on what would be considered to be “evidence of a widespread desire” to use certain versions of the Bible at Prayer Book services (as referred to in his answer to Question 46 at the July 2008 group of sessions), and report on what evidence of such a desire, if any, has so far been received?

The Bishop of Wakefield to reply as Chairman of the Liturgical Commission:

A. Since the Commission is not as yet aware of any evidence of such a widespread desire, it is difficult to comment on what might constitute such evidence. Bearing in mind that under the Prayer Book (Versions of the Bible) Measure 1965 a Synod resolution would be necessary, there would need to be some indication of support within the Synod for devoting synodical time to this issue.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

Mr Colin Slater (Southwell & Nottingham) to ask the Church Commissioners:

Q16. What justification is there for the damaging statement in Private Eye (issue no. 1220) that the Church of England has lost “roughly £25m” having invested in HBOS shares? If this is inaccurate, what is the true position and what steps have been taken to clarify the situation through the public media in order to restore confidence in the church’s investment policy?

Mr Andreas Whittam Smith to reply as First Church Estates Commissioner:

A. The statement quoted is inaccurate. The Commissioners are shareholders in HBOS but their exposure to the stock, held entirely in an index tracking portfolio, has been reduced since the end of last year.

The Commissioners’ portfolio is well diversified and a number of statements have recently been issued to the media to reassure the public that the Commissioners remain able to sustain their long term financial support of the ministry.

Mr Peter Smith (St Edmundsbury & Ipswich) to ask the Church Commissioners:

Q17. Given the present financial climate, are the Commissioners confident that they will be able to maintain their levels of funding across the Church over the next few years without using capital to meet those commitments?

Mr Andreas Whittam Smith to reply as First Church Estates Commissioner:

A. The Commissioners, like other funds, have faced extremely difficult market conditions over the last twelve months. At this stage, it is difficult to predict whether markets might fall further and how long they might take to recover.

However, the Commissioners’ latest actuarial advice suggests that we will be able to meet our 2008-10 expenditure plans and, because of the way we ‘smooth’ our non-pensions distribution levels, we hope and plan to maintain these in cash terms into 2011-13, even if there are some further falls in the markets.

As Synod members will know (see GS 1682A), meeting some pensions expenditure from capital has been integral to the Commissioners’ distribution policy since 1998 and will remain so for some time, but non-pensions distributions will continue to be met wholly from income.

Mrs Anne Toms (Peterborough) to ask the Church Commissioners:

Q18. How many ‘traditional’ parsonages of the Church of England (understood for this purpose as those built or acquired pre-1939) are still in use as such today and in which dioceses?

Mr Timothy Walker to reply as Third Church Estates Commissioner:

A. The provision of parsonages is dealt with primarily at diocesan level. Therefore the information requested is not readily available to the Commissioners and could not be obtained from dioceses without incurring disproportionate cost.

Mr Clive Scowen (London) to ask the Church Commissioners:

Q19. How much have the Church Commissioners given to defray the debts of the Lambeth Conference, and pursuant to what powers, and what impact will this decision have on the amounts made available by the Commissioners in coming years to support parish mission?

Mr Andreas Whittam Smith to reply as First Church Estates Commissioner:

A. In 2006 the Commissioners agreed to make a grant of up to £1.05 million over 2006-2008 to the Lambeth Conference in respect of certain specific costs (e.g. English bishops’ attendance fees and the conference manager’s salary costs). It is expected that the grant, which is consistent with what has been done for past Lambeth conferences, will be within budget.

In addition they agreed in August 2008 to make available an interest free loan facility of up to £600,000. £194,000 of the loan facility has been drawn down. The Directors of the company have recently indicated that they do not expect to have to draw down any of the remaining £406,000 and that they are now able to repay £19,000, leaving £175,000 outstanding to the Commissioners (and the same amount to the Archbishops’ Council).

The sums from the Commissioners have been made available under section 5 of the Episcopal Endowments and Stipends Measure 1943 which provides that the Commissioners “may at their discretion pay the whole or any part of … such office expenses … as it is, in their opinion, necessary for the Bishop to incur”. Thus the Commissioners have a discretionary power to meet expenses of the office of the Archbishop of Canterbury in his capacity as a diocesan bishop.

This expenditure will not impact on the Commissioners’ other distribution plans for the 2008-2010 triennium.

PENSIONS BOARD

Mr Peter Smith (St Edmundsbury & Ipswich) to ask the Chairman of the Pensions Board:

Q20. Given the present financial climate is the Board considering asking the dioceses for additional pension contributions for serving clergy?

Mr Allan Bridgewater to reply as Chairman of the Pensions Board:

A. The Board is monitoring the current situation very carefully and has asked its actuary to prepare an assessment of the financial position of the funded clergy scheme. This is due to be considered at the next meeting of the Board on 27 November and it will need to consider then whether any action is required in advance of the next formal valuation of the scheme which takes place as at the end of 2009.

ARCHBISHOPS’ COUNCIL

The Revd Canon David Bird (Peterborough) to ask the Presidents of the Archbishops’ Council:

Q21. How many dioceses faced a deficit in the accounts for 2007, what was the range of those deficits and how many are anticipating a deficit for 2008?

Mr Andrew Britton to reply on behalf of the Presidents of the Archbishops’ Council:

A. Considering deficits and surpluses in any one year without any explanation of a diocese’s specific circumstances can present a misleading picture as the raw figures take no account of longer term financial planning. The highest deficit in 2007, or example, is due to the building of a new church for which the diocese had set aside funds in previous years.

However, using income figures net of gains on / proceeds from charitable assets, school income, gains on investment assets and expenditure figures net of depreciation, purchase of charitable assets and schools expenditure:

Twenty-seven dioceses showed a deficit in their accounts for 2007, ranging from £3,000 to £1,205,000. The surpluses of the remaining seventeen dioceses ranged from £24,000 to £812,000.

We do not hold records of dioceses’ forecasts for 2008.

The Revd Canon David Bird (Peterborough) to ask the Presidents of the Archbishops’ Council:

Q22. Given the answer to Question 21 and the current financial situation in the country, which may indicate that things will get worse, particularly with regard to pensions, does the Archbishops’ Council have a strategy for leading the Church through the financial crisis?

Mr Andrew Britton to reply on behalf of the Presidents of the Archbishops’ Council:

A. As the Archbishop of Canterbury recently said: “at this time of international financial turbulence, it is important that the Church should be offering the opportunity for prayer and reflection.” In this regard, I am encouraged at the use that has been made of the Matter of Life and Debt section of the Church of England website and the prayer for the Financial Situation, both of which have been referred to in the national media.

The Archbishops’ Council will be spending time at its meeting on 25-26 November to consider the specific implications of the current economic prospects for the Church and its mission and ministry. The Council will remain in close contact with dioceses, the Church Commissioners, (whose Board of Governors will meet on 20 November), the Pensions Board (which will meet on 27 November – see also answer to question 20 on the funded clergy pension scheme), and with the House of Bishops, which meets early next month.

While Church organizations are better placed than some others in the charitable sector as a result of the high proportion of income that comes in through standing order, the coming period is likely to involve some difficult decisions about priorities not just at national level but in dioceses and parishes. It will of course be for the relevant trustees, including members of DBFs and PCCs, to reach their own judgments about the management of their own resources. The Archbishops’ Council will, however, continue to discharge its own responsibilities not only in respect of stipends and pensions policy but also to coordinate, promote, aid and further the work and mission of the Church of England.

Miss Vasantha Gnanadoss (Southwark) to ask the Presidents of the Archbishops’ Council:

Q23. In July 2007 General Synod endorsed the recommendations of Talent and Calling (GS 1650), including that “diocesan bishops should be asked positively to look for minority ethnic clergy who might either be qualified for inclusion on the Preferment List or might be developed in such a way that they might be qualified later on”. What progress has been made in implementing this recommendation?

The Bishop of Leicester to reply on behalf of the Presidents of the Archbishops’ Council:

A. The House of Bishops approved the Senior Appointments Processes at their meeting in October. The recommendations in relation to Minority Ethnic clergy related to i) establishing appropriate monitoring arrangements and ii) identifying minority ethnic clergy and developing them. A process for conducting the former has now been agreed and should be implemented over the next few months. This should provide valuable statistical information in this area. The second recommendation is being implemented by individual Bishops in their dioceses although many of the issues regarding particular development of any clergy with potential will also be considered as part of the wider debate on talent management (a further recommendation of the report).

Mrs Joanna Monckton (Lichfield) to ask the Presidents of the Archbishops’ Council:

Q24. How much has the Lambeth Conference so far cost

(a) the Church Commissioners;
(b) the Archbishops’ Council

and how much more is it expected to cost either body?

Mr Gerald O’Brien (Rochester) to ask the Presidents of the Archbishops’ Council:

Q25. What contributions towards the cost of the 2008 Lambeth Conference are being made by the Archbishops’ Council, the Church Commissioners and any other Church of England bodies, and how much of these contributions is likely to be ultimately funded by dioceses (either through apportionment or through the loss of grants they might otherwise expect to receive)?

Mr Clive Scowen (London) to ask the Presidents of the Archbishops’ Council:

Q26. How much has the Archbishops’ Council given to defray the debts of the Lambeth Conference, and pursuant to what powers, and what impact will this decision have on the amounts which dioceses will be asked to contribute towards the Council’s budget in coming years?

Mr Andrew Britton to reply on behalf of the Presidents of the Archbishops’ Council:

A. With permission, I will answer questions 24, 25 and 26 together.

The Church Commissioners budgeted to make grants to the Lambeth Conference totalling up to £1.05 million in 2006-8 in respect of specific costs. This grant expenditure is expected to be within budget.

In addition, as announced in August 2008, the Council and Commissioners agreed to make available an interest free loan facility of up to £600,000 each to the Lambeth Conference. To date £194,000 has been drawn down on each of these facilities. The Directors of the company have recently indicated that they do not now expect to have to draw down more than this total of £388,000 and are this week making an initial repayment of £38,000. They are also continuing their fundraising efforts in order to repay as soon as possible the outstanding total of £350,000.

The Council’s loan has been made under its objects “to co-ordinate, promote and further the work and mission of the Church of England” under the National Institutions Measure 1998. The funds have been drawn from legacy receipts so will have no impact on the sums requested from dioceses towards the Council’s budget.

The Commissioners’ expenditure on the Conference and the loan have been funded from their bishops’ office and working costs budget and will not impact on their other distribution plans for the 2008-2010 triennium.

I do not have a figure for the total amount raised from within the Church of England towards the costs of the conference but I understand that dioceses generously contributed around £500,000 and parishes over £100,000, much of this to enable bishops from poorer parts of the Anglican Communion to attend the conference.

HOUSE OF BISHOPS

The Revd Hugh Lee (Oxford) to ask the Chairman of the House of Bishops:

Q27. Will the House of Bishops assure the General Synod that neither it nor the Women Bishops Legislative Drafting Group is seeking to go back on any part of the motion passed in the General Synod in July 2008 and that they are not questioning the manner of the debate, the use of electronic voting, the results of the votes on each of the amendments and the final motion, or the competence of General Synod to decide upon having women as bishops?

The Bishop of Manchester to reply as Chairman of the Women Bishops Legislative Drafting Group:

A. The Group has met a number of times since the Synod debate in July. The motion required consultation with the House: it considered material from the Group in October and will do so again in December. The Group will complete its work later that month. The draft Measure, amending canon and code of practice will therefore be available for Synod to debate in February and to commit to a Revision Committee. Both the Group and the House will continue to work consistently with the mandate given by Synod.

Mrs Sarah Finch (London) to ask the Chairman of the House of Bishops:

Q28. Since January 2000, how many suffragan bishops and how many diocesan bishops have been appointed, and at which theological colleges were they trained?

The Bishop of Leicester to reply as Chairman of the Senior Appointments Group (Episcopal):

A. Since 2000 there have been 31 diocesan bishops appointed and 56 suffragan bishops. The breakdown of the theological colleges attended by these appointees is detailed below. This information is taken direct from Crockford’s and the Church of England Year Book (and is therefore assumed to be correct) and includes bishops who have since retired or transferred to other posts.

Diocesan Bishops:

Suffragan Bishops: