§ 28. Miss McIntoshTo ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners what the total salary cost of parish priests was in(a) 1996–97 and (b) 2003–04. [158945]
§ Sir Stuart BellIn 1996 the total stipend cost for parochial clergy (not including Employer's National Insurance contributions) was approximately £130.5 million. In 2003 the figure was approximately £151.8 million.