Younger women view becoming a priest as an "increasingly attractive" job, according to the Church of England's representative in the Commons.

Conservative former minister Dame Caroline Spelman, the Second Church Estates Commissioner, told MPs of a "sharp increase" in the number of women coming into ministry after insisting there are no barriers to them becoming ordinands.

Church of England data released last year showed more women than men were starting training as priests for the first time in 16 years.

Of the 544 people in last autumn's intake, 274 were women and 270 were men.

Speaking in the Commons, Conservative MP Philip Hollobone (Kettering) asked: "What are the main barriers to women becoming ordinands in the Church of England?"

Dame Caroline replied: "There are no barriers to women to becoming ordinands in theChurch of England. There's been a sharp increase in the number of women coming into ministry. There was an overall increase of 14% in the number of ordinands entering training in the last two years.

"And the number of women under the age of 32 has actually increased by 27%, showing that this is an increasingly attractive vocation for younger women who'd look forward to a career within the church as a female priest."

Labour former minister Diana Johnson earlier said: "It's good to hear that the stained glass ceiling is being well and truly smashed.

"Isn't it about time, though, that in the evolution of the established Church of England that special arrangements put in place for those not accepting the equality and ministry of women are actually now abandoned?"

Dame Caroline replied: "The church has come to an accommodation over that issue, but I would say with the gradual increase in the number of women who are coming into ministry, and just people's experience of being ministered to by a female priest, I think that in itself is changing attitudes in society in a holistic way.

"I'd expect to see more and more women come into post and more and more people get used to seeing them there."

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