§ Mr. Laurence RobertsonTo ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what effect changes proposed in the recent Green Paper on retirement would have on the retirement age of clergy. [90570]
§ Mr. BellI have been asked to reply.
Currently the majority of Church of England clergy must retire on reaching 70, under the Ecclesiastical Offices (Age Limit) Measure 1975. Since the Government is still consulting on how the Employment Directive—to which Chapter 6 of the Green Paper refers—should be implemented as regards discrimination on grounds of age, it is not yet possible to say what its effect will be and whether changes will be required to the 1975 Measure.
However, since most clergy choose to retire before reaching 70, I do not envisage significant effect in practice on the retirement age of clergy.