§ 36. Mr. Tony BanksTo ask the right hon. Member for Selby, representing the Church Commissioners, what arrangements are made in respect of accommodation allocation following divorce among clergy. [20670]
§ Mr. Michael Alison (Second Church Estates Commissioner, representing the Church Commissioners)Where a clergy marriage has broken down and the diocesan bishop accepts pastoral responsibility for the spouse, he and his diocesan board of finance take steps to try to provide accommodation. If the diocese has difficulty in providing it, it may apply to the commissioners for a loan.
§ Mr. BanksI thank the right hon. Gentleman for his reply. Is he aware, however, that no legal rights exist? When clergy marriages break down, accommodation can unfortunately be lost, pension rights can be sacrificed and lump sums can go at the same time. What talks is the right hon. Gentleman prepared to have with the commissioners to try to introduce an element of legality? Is it not perverse that the future head of the Church of 707 England can be discussing with his estranged wife who is to have which palace and who will pay for the colonic irrigation when all that the clergy whose marriages break up are left with is a pain in the butt?
§ Mr. AlisonIt is purely a matter of history that both the leaders of the Church of England and the future monarch happen to live in palaces. We attempt not to be legalistic; in the past 10 years we have made advances of £10 million in nearly 190 cases, specifically to help spouses who have suffered a marriage breakdown and are without accommodation. Whatever the law may dictate, we try to be humane, reasonable and constructive.