OXFORD University Press has printed more than 20,000 Bibles for schools in a new Government initiative.

To mark the 400th anniversary of the publication of the King James Bible, the Department for Education is giving a copy to every state school in England.

Funding for the £370,000 scheme has come from Conservative Party donors and charities.

The books are being delivered to schools this week from OUP’s distribution centre at Kettering, in Northamptonshire.

OUP spokesman Rachel Goode said: “OUP works co-operatively with governments and education authorities around the world to provide high-quality and affordable resources for use in education.

“We’re pleased to have been able to support this Department for Education initiative, supplying and delivering copies of our 400th anniversary edition of the King James Bible to state maintained schools.”