Oral Answers to Questions

Rosie Duffield Excerpts

Thursday 16th October 2025 Commons Chamber

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

[Rosie Duffield (Canterbury) (Ind)]

7. What steps the Church of England is taking to help support the appointment process for the next Archbishop of Canterbury.

[The Second Church Estates Commissioner (Marsha De Cordova)]

On 3 October, after 11 months, Bishop Sarah Mullally was appointed as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury. This is an historic appointment, as she is the first woman to be appointed to the position.

[Rosie Duffield]

As my hon. Friend will know, it has been a really difficult year for the Church, and for Canterbury cathedral in particular, with the death of our beloved Dean Emeritus Robert Willis, the horrible circumstances surrounding the resignation of Archbishop Justin, and the current controversy about an art exhibition that seems to have offended the vice-president of America, among other people. Does she agree that the historic choice of Bishop Sarah Mullally as the first ever woman appointed to the role could and should herald a new start for the Church and a righting of the historical wrongs of child abuse, which she speaks about a lot?

[Marsha De Cordova]

My hon. Friend makes some very good points, and I thank her for her words and good wishes. She is a true champion of women’s rights, but also of women in leadership.

I want to place on the record my congratulations to Bishop Sarah on making history. She spent over 35 years in the NHS, becoming the youngest ever chief nursing officer for England. She was made a Dame Commander of the British Empire in 2005 for her contributions to nursing and midwifery. I would add that Bishop Sarah served her curacy at St Saviour’s, Battersea Fields, in my constituency.