(ACNS)<\/p>\n
Q. When did discussions about this change first take place? Who drew up the new articles and on what basis?<\/p>\n
The issue was first raised at the time of the ACC meeting in Dundee, Scotland, in 1999, and a drafting committee was established after the Hong Kong ACC meeting in 2002. The drafting committee met with me on a number of occasions between 2002-2005, and the Committee\u2019s draft was the subject of intensive discussion at the Nottingham ACC meeting in 2005.<\/p>\n
Q. There\u2019s recently been media speculation that proper procedures weren\u2019t followed as regards getting assent to the change from the old constitution to the new.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s good to see that there are Anglicans out there who care that things are being done properly. Certainly no one in the Communion is above criticism. I\u2019ve already explained that a change to the Constitution was planned and discussed at several ACC meetings. Then, as required by Article 10 of the old constitution, the draft was circulated for approval by the provinces of the Communion after the 2005 Conference. It finally achieved the requisite level of replies\u201d\u201dtwo thirds of Anglican Communion provinces\u201d\u201dand this was reported to the ACC in Jamaica in 2009, after which it was submitted for registration at Companies House and by the Charity Commission.<\/p>\n