§ 41. Sir Sydney Chapman (Chipping Barnet)If he will make a statement on the contribution made by the Church Commissioners to clergy stipends and pensions. [43184]
§ Mr. Stuart Bell (Second Church Estates Commissioner, representing the Church Commissioners)I am pleased to see that the hon. Gentleman is again present for Church Commissioners' questions.
For the year ending 31 December 2001, the commissioners contributed £22 million to the stipends of parish clergy, and met bishops and cathedral clergy stipends totalling £7.1 million, of which £900,000 was pensions contributions.
§ Sir Sydney ChapmanI am grateful to the Second Church Estates Commissioner for that information, but could he also give that answer in percentages of the total? In any case, will he confirm that those figures underline the Church Commissioners' important contribution to clergy stipends and pensions, and that the real lesson is that—within ethical restraints—we should encourage the commissioners to maximise their assets, because they are doing a worthwhile job in a noble way?
§ Mr. BellOn percentages and the pensionable stipend, in line with actuarial advice, the contribution rate will rise from 21.9 per cent. to 29.1 per cent. with effect from 1 April, and to 29.5 per cent. from 1 January. The hon. Gentleman's other points are valuable and will certainly be heard in other quarters.