HC Deb 13 May 2002 vol 385 cc497-8
31. Mr. Gordon Prentice (Pendle)

What the annual cost was of maintaining the Archbishopric of Canterbury in 2001. [53992]

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

Detailed figures on the costs of running the office of Archbishop of Canterbury for 2001 are in preparation. Published figures for 2000 totalled approximately £1.2 million.

Mr. Prentice

A total of £;1.2 million. Given the great wealth of the Church of England, is it not a disgrace that the Archbishop of Canterbury, who is retiring this year, will have to get by on a pension of £;17,000, and that the 110 bishops in the Church of England—who are all men—will be on £;15,000, and the clergy on less than £10,000, when they retire? However, my question is this. What about the vicar of Dibley? What about the women of the cloth, who are consistently discriminated against? Will they get a top-up pension, and if not, why not? Is the Archbishops Council reviewing the matter?

Mr. Bell

My hon. Friend has more time to watch television than I have, and therefore knows more about "The Vicar of Dibley" than I do.

Out of the total of £1.2 million, the main elements of the archbishop's costs are staffing costs of £800,000 and office costs of £150,000. My hon. Friend referred to the archbishop's imminent retirement, and this would be an appropriate moment for the Church Commissioners to thank him for all the work, seen and unseen, that he has done on behalf of the Church. and to wish him and his wife Eileen a very happy and long retirement.

Sir Patrick Cormack (South Staffordshire)

I echo the hon. Gentleman's words about the archbishop. Does he agree that the archbishop has been incredibly good value for money and that we should look to expanding rather than reducing the budget?

Mr. Bell

I am grateful for the hon. Gentleman's remarks. He will know of the report of Lord Hurd of Westwell, which suggested that the archbishop, as a national and international figure, has less assistance at his disposal than anyone else who serves in a similar capacity. To take up the point of my hon. Friend the Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice), it is worth considering the matter, perhaps taking inflation into account and making adjustments accordingly.

Simon Hughes (Southwark, North and Bermondsey)

Because it is always less embarrassing to review, change and possibly increase the budget for someone such as an archbishop when the individual is not in post, are there plans for a review before the announcement of the new archbishop's appointment? Now that we know that Dame Elizabeth Butler-Sloss has been appointed to chair the selection panel, what is the timetable and when do we expect an announcement?

Mr. Bell

I anticipated that question and I am happy to say that the Church Commissioners have no role in choosing the archbishop. On the timetable, gossip has it that the selection will take place in late rather than early summer.

The hon. Gentleman referred to possible talks between the current archbishop and his successor. He will know of the report of Lord Hurd of Westwell, which will be discussed by the archbishop and his successor before the latter takes up his office.