§ Mr. Ben ChapmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to the answer of 3 December 2003,Official Report, column 102W, when she will make an announcement regarding the implementation of section 23 of the Employment Relations Act 1999 in relation to employment rights for clergy. [149818]
§ Mr. SutcliffeWe have been considering the current coverage of employment protections as part of the Employment Status Review, including the position of the clergy; we hope to publish a Government response shortly. The Government believe that all workers should be treated fairly, and welcomes the fact that the Church of England is giving serious consideration to the issue of employment protections for its clergy.