What the total cost was of provincial episcopal visitors in (a) the province of Canterbury and (b) the province of York in 2004–05.

Provincial episcopal visitors are "flying bishops" in the parlance of the Church. The figures for the calendar year 2004—the latest available—are £167,984 in the province of Canterbury and £81,675 in the province of York.

Will the Church Commissioners publish those helpful figures as a matter of routine? We cannot possibly reduce deeply held views about women priests to financial figures, but given that a lot of angels are flying around this Christmas-time, as well as flying bishops, may we expect an outbreak of peace and good will, as well as common sense, as we move on from women priests towards women bishops?

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman. The House consistently counts angels on the head of a pin and no doubt will do so in the future. We might have flying bishops and flying angels, but in 1993, as he knows, the Act of Synod was concerned that

"the integrity of differing beliefs and positions . . . should be mutually recognised and respected".

There is a long synodical process regarding women bishops, but I am always happy to refer to the Archbishop what I think is a strong wind behind that in the House.