Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Bryant Excerpts
Thursday 5th July 2012

(12 years, 4 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Tony Baldry Portrait Sir Tony Baldry
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The answer to the first part of the hon. Gentleman’s question is yes. I do not think that there will be any constraint on priests or former priests standing for election to the elected part of the second Chamber. On the second part of his question, I suspect that all of us here earnestly hope that, sooner or later, the Church of England will have women bishops.

Chris Bryant Portrait Chris Bryant (Rhondda) (Lab)
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I completely agree, and I praise the hon. Gentleman for all his work on trying to bring in women bishops, but has he read the Bill that we are to debate next week? It does not actually define what a bishop is. The Bill does not say whether it refers to diocesan bishops, suffragan bishops, Anglican bishops, Catholic bishops, bishops from Scotland or bishops from Wales. Is this a radical step that the Church is going to support?

John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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I think that the hon. Gentleman has just applied to speak in the debate. He has already applied to me in writing, and I think that his question was an additional application, for which we are all very grateful.