"That last paragraph is, of course, complete rubbish. To be honest, I just put it in in order to reassure you, as it is well known that I am in fact a businessman who put on the wrong clothes this morning."

In his first presidential address to the synod last July, Welby labelled evangelism as one of his three main priorities in ministry. "We need new imagination in evangelism through prayer, and a fierce determination not to let evangelism be squeezed off our agendas," he said.

"Business is important, we need to affirm the significance of those who generate and create wealth," he said.

The Archbishop kept his strongest comments for the role taxes play in ensuring that companies contribute to the societies in which they operate.

"There has always been the principle that you pay the tax where you earn the money," he told me.

Although no-one from the Archbishop's office, the diocesan office, the cathedral or the women's ordination group WATCH would comment to Christian Today, a source said the confidential plans had caused "great upset" because they revived the concept of "taint".

Effectively, it means the Church of England's catholic wing is being allowed to preserve the traditionalist apostolic succession, creating a line of male bishops in perpetuity.

The groups are chaired by Prebendary the Lord Green; the Bishop of Sheffield, Dr Steven Croft; John Spence; and the Bishop of Willesden, the Rt Revd Pete Broadbent. The Green report was published last month amid widespread criticism (News, 12 December). The remaining reports are to be released over the course of this week, before discussion by the General Synod next month.