The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of Winchester, the Bishop of Dover and each of the Deans of Jersey and Guernsey have today signed an agreement to give effect to the interim oversight arrangements announced in January.

The Archbishop said: “I am delighted that we have found a way forward which engages the full support of everyone concerned, and which will enable the ministry and mission of the Church of England to flourish in the Channel Islands while acknowledging their distinct history.

“It is an important part of the agreement that I am to appoint a Commission to enquire and report to me in detail on the long and complex history of the Islands’ relationship to the Church on the mainland, and I look forward to doing so from the secure understanding we have now reached.”