§ Mr. Stephen O'BrienTo ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what proportion of Church of England liquid and fixed assets is represented by those held under freehold by the incumbent clerks in holy orders. [99004]
§ Mr. Stuart BellParsonages represent about 15 per cent. of the Church's total assets. About 60 per cent. of parsonages are legally held under freehold by incumbent clergy. However, any holding by an incumbent is in a corporate capacity and so is not analogous to freehold ownership in the traditionally understood sense.
Parish churches also normally vest in the incumbent but are not valued in terms of disposal value as they are not usually realisable.