Question

To ask the right hon. Member for Meriden, representing the Church Commissioners, how many members of the clergy in each of the last 10 years have been women.

The most recent statistics available on the number of women in ordained ministry in the Church of England can be found in the table below. These figures combine all clergy who are full time or part time stipendiary clergy and those who are self-supporting clergy. Although more recent figures are not yet available, the general trend is towards an increase in women training for ordained ministry and the Church of England has most recently appointed three women as bishops who are:

• The Bishop of Gloucester, the Rt Revd Rachel Treweek,

• The Bishop of Stockport, Rt Revd Elizabeth Lane,

• And the Bishop of Hull, Rt Revd Alison White.