Question

To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, whether the Church of England plans to respond to the report by Professor Sue Proctor on abuse at Kendall House, Gravesend, published in July 2016.

In July 2016 the Rt Revd Paul Butler, Bishop of Durham and then lead bishop for safeguarding, apologised unreservedly to all former residents who continue to be affected by their experiences at Kendall House. The statement can be seen at https://www.churchofengland.org/media-centre/news/2016/07/statement-on-kendall-house-review.aspx

The Church of England accepted the review and welcomed its recommendations. The Church’s National Safeguarding Team will include those recommendations in their autumn review and plan to publish an annual review in 2017, which will report on progress made against them. Every diocese within the Church of England has received the report and in line with the review’s findings are considering the implications of this for their own diocesan safeguarding arrangements, past and present.