HC Deb 05 November 2001 vol 374 cc16-7
34. Paul Flynn (Newport, West)

What the changes in real terms have been in stipends and other salary payments paid to (a) bishops, (b) parish priests and (c) archbishops since 1986. [100541

Mr. Stuart Bell (Second Church Estates Commissioner, representing the Church Commissioners)

Between 1986 and 2001, stipends for diocesan bishops, parish priests of incumbent status and the two archbishops have increased on average by 110 per cent., 119 per cent. and 106 per cent. respectively. I am happy to say that parish priests have come off best.

Paul Flynn

That is reassuring news. The definition of a stipend in the Church is that it should allow the priest to live without financial difficulty and be able to maintain his family in a state that cannot be described as poverty or riches. However, the majority of the clergy—75 per cent.—make no investment in a home of their own, which causes difficulties in retirement, and a quarter of them have made applications to charities in the past year. Does that not suggest that the parish priest is a long way from a state of riches but dangerously close to a state of poverty?

Mr. Bell

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for making that particular point.

The central stipends authority of the Archbishops Council is looking carefully at clergy stipends. Its criteria are that the stipends should be adequate for clergy to discharge their duties without undue financial anxiety, that there should be flexibility to allow the Church to pay its clergy where they can best be deployed, and that there should be equity, with stipend levels being broadly convergent and not constituting an impediment to clergy mobility.

My hon. Friend's points will be taken into account carefully in all consultations.

Sir Sydney Chapman (Chipping Barnet)

Will the hon. Gentleman confirm that a considerable proportion of the commissioners expenditure goes towards clergy stipends and pensions? If they are to be encouraged to do more, is it not essential for them to receive the maximum return on their assets—within, of course, the code of ethics to which they subscribe?

Mr. Bell

The commissioners must indeed obtain the best possible return on their assets, because one of their responsibilities is to meet the stipends of their clergy. A great deal of time and effort is being put into clergy stipends. A document entitled "Generosity and Sacrifice", which is in the Library, lists a number of benchmarks for clergy to observe in future, and is well worth a read.