§ Mr. Michael Lathamasked the hon. Member for Kingswood (Mr. Walker) as representing the Church Commissioners what proportion of the Commissioners' gross rental income of £13,964,354 in 1974–75 was represented by (a) residential, (b) agricultural and (c) commercial property; and what the actual monetary figures were in each case.
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§ Mr. Terry WalkerThe figures requested are as follows:
Per cent. £ (a) Residential … … 28.0 3,906,295 (b) Agricultural … … 15.7 2,193,701 (c) Commercial … … 56.3 7,864,358 100.0 £13,964,354
§ Mr. Michael Lathamasked the hon. Member for Kingswood (Mr. Walker), as representing the Church Commissioners what was the total sum of money provided by the laity for each of the last 10 years, towards the expenses of the Church of England; and what proportion of those sums, expressed both in monetary and percentage terms, was devoted to (a) clerical stipends and pensions, (b) clerical expenses such as car mileage, (c) diocesan quotas and (d) church maintenance, repairs and rebuilding.
§ Mr. Terry WalkerThe Commissioners' responsibilities in regard to sums of money provided by the laity towards the expenses of the Church of England arise from their position as Central Stipends Authority to which they were appointed by the General Synod in November 1972 and are confined to the sphere of clergy stipends and working expenses. From information collected since they were appointed Central Stipends Authority, the Commissioners estimate that the amounts provided by the laity towards clergy stipends and working expenses were as follows:
Stipends Working expenses £m £m 1973 … … … 5.7 2.0 1974 … … … 6.1 2.2 1975 … … … 7.2 2.8
§ Mr. Michael Lathamasked the hon. Member for Kingswood (Mr. Walker), as representing the Church Commissioners what steps the Commissioners have taken in the last 12 months, other than those mentioned on page 19 of the 1975 annual report, to advise the laity of methods by which the laity can increase the revenue which they provide towards Church expenses; and whether he will list the publications provided by the Commissioners to this end.
§ Mr. Terry WalkerAs I have already informed the hon. Member, the Commissioners' responsibilities in regard to 5W sums of money provided by the laity towards the expenses of the Church of England arise from their position as Central Stipends Authority and are confined to the sphere of clergy stipends and working expenses. Since their appointment as Central Stipends Authority they have sought to promote a partnership between parishes, dioceses and the Authority in working for the improvement of clergy stipends and the reimbursement of their working expenses. In the last 12 months these matters have been discussed in detail with dioceses at seven conferences and have also been the subject of the Authority's third report to the General Synod and of a popular leaflet on the "Church's Needs and Resources (1976)" of which 448,000 copies have been distributed. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of this leaflet.