§ 35. Mr. FlynnTo ask the right hon. Member for Selby, as representing the Church Commissioners, what plans the Church Commissioners have to improve the level of stipends of clergymen.
§ Mr. AlisonThe commissioners' policy, as central stipends authority, is for stipends levels to rise at least in line with the cost of living. Incumbents' average stipends have improved by 29 per cent. against the retail prices index over the last 10 years. Because of the change in local taxation arrangements and their method of payment, largely unaltered stipend levels will, from April, represent an effective increase of about 4 per cent.