§ 23. Mr. Greenwayasked the hon. Member for Wokingham, as representing the Church Commissioners, what is the total raised towards clergy stipends in Easter offerings; and if he will make a statement.
§ Sir William van StraubenzeeThe answer is approximately £200,000 a year or, on average, £25 per incumbent.
§ Mr. GreenwayIs my hon. Friend aware that on Easter Sunday I found in my place, just as I have every year of my life, a short note from the church warden saying that the ancient custom of the church is that Easter offerings shall be given as a personal offering to the incumbent? Is it not clear from what my hon. Friend has already said that that is not happening, and that Easter offerings are taxed? Will he join me in tackling our right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on that point and the Church Commissioners, in order to restore that true and traditional custom to its rightful place in the church?
§ Sir William van StraubenzeeI cannot answer for the tax side of the question, except to say that I have noticed that successive Chancellors of the Exchequer of all political parties have sought to find a method of identifying the source of income so that it need not be taxed. It was the General Synod's decision that the sums raised should be included in the central augmentation, and that is the authority under which we proceed.
§ 24. Mr. Peter Bruinvelsasked the hon. Member for Wokingham, as representing the Church Commissioners, what was the average stipend for a clergyman on 1 January; how that compares with 1 January 1981 and 1 January 1976; if he will evaluate the benefits in kind, including housing, for each period; and if he will make a statement on the future funding of clergy stipends.
§ Sir William van StraubenzeeThe estimated average stipend of an incumbent on 1 January was £7,197 compared with £5,185 in 1981 and £2,534 in 1976. The equivalent figures for the housing "benefit in kind" are £3,800, £2,800 and £1,700.
In 1985, 82 per cent. of the Church Commissioners' income was applied towards the pay, pensions and housing of the clergy and it is the Church Commissioners' hope to continue that level of support.
§ Mr. BruinvelsI welcome the substantial increase in the clergy stipends and I am pleased to note that stipends 655 are ahead of inflation. Will my hon. Friend note the concern felt by parents, who are deterring their sons from going forward to the Advisory Council for the Church's Ministry as potential ordinants because they consider it to be a not necessarily financially worthwhile career? Will he do all in his power to publicise the new stipends and the fact that the housing part of the stipends is so high?
§ Sir William van StraubenzeeI am grateful to my hon. Friend for paying tribute to what has been done. Compared with 1985, there has been an increase in the stipend of 7.2 per cent., compared with inflation of 4.2 per cent. I am sure that my hon. Friend's question and my answer will help to publicise the issue. I am also sure that my hon. Friend will agree that a man offers himself for service primarily because of his vocation. The financial reward comes a long way behind that.