Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information his Department held on the eligibility of Lady Elish Angiolini for the position of Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland when her appointment was announced.

Following the announcement in December of last year that Lady Elish Angiolini was to be appointed as Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, it became clear that there is a legal restriction against a Catholic person being appointed to the role.

The Church of Scotland (Lord High Commissioner) Act 2025 has been passed by both Houses of Parliament with cross-party support and has received Royal Assent. This legislation removes the historical legal restriction and will ensure that Lady Elish can take up the role.