HC Deb 21 November 2001 vol 375 cc279-80W
Mr. Drew

To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, if he will make a statement on housing provision for clergy on their retirement. [16295]

Mr. Bell

Clergy in office are provided with a house and are paid a stipend. In retirement, however, they must meet their own housing costs. The derivation of the formula for the pension and retirement lump sum takes this into account.

Actual arrangement of retirement housing is a matter for the individual, who may purchase a property (if necessary with the aid of a mortgage obtained in the market) or rent. The Church offers, through the Pensions Board and supported by investment capital provided by the Church Commissioners, a scheme of housing assistance which widens the choice available. Subject to

Summary of licensed ministers in the dioceses, 2000 Provinces of Canterbury and York
Full-time stipendiary clergy Part-time stipendiary clergy Non-stipendiary ministers Ordained local ministers Readers
1 Bath and Wells C 239 5 38 335
2 Birmingham C 203 7 29 224
3 Blackburn Y 239 26 251
4 Bradford Y 116 8 10 134
5 Bristol C 142 3 27 6 192
6 Canterbury C 178 3 44 174
7 Carlisle Y 153 4 27 174
8 Chelmsford C 415 1 72 388
9 Chester Y 275 3 33 495
10 Chichester C 338 1 62 299
11 Coventry C 147 6 26 205
12 Derby C 185 38 274
13 Durham Y 239 3 22 168
14 Ely C 154 5 28 167
15 Exeter C 251 3 47 228
16 Gloucester C 159 1 37 10 241
17 Guildford C 201 4 46 21 203
18 Hereford C 115 4 23 4 99
19 Leicester C 166 6 34 216
20 Lichfield C 350 8 29 15 416
21 Lincoln C 226 1 30 21 199
22 Liverpool Y 252 3 24 8 367
23 London C 557 127 232
24 Manchester Y 296 7 37 46 270
25 Newcastle Y 146 2 30 4 147
26 Norwich C 201 7 26 29 305
27 Oxford C 440 3 168 32 398
28 Peterborough C 168 16 133
29 Portsmouth C 117 4 56 136
30 Ripon and Leeds Y 145 2 10 121
31 Rochester C 219 11 33 376
32 St. Albans C 276 7 94 274
33 St. Edms and Ipswich 154 5 29 46 230
34 Salisbury C 229 60 23 235
35 Sheffield Y 187 18 270

the circumstances of the individual, a value-linked mortgage loan may be granted to enable accommodation to be purchased, or a property owned by the Board can be occupied in return for payment of maintenance contributions.

The Archbishops' Council has recently conducted a review of clergy stipends and the General Synod has agreed that the report should be sent to dioceses for consultation. A copy of the review group's report "Generosity and Sacrifice" (GS 1408) is available in the House of Commons Library. It includes the recommendation that the Pensions Board, the Church Commissioners, dioceses and clergy charities consider the possibility of finding sufficient capital for loans to clergy to enable them to make provision for retirement housing in advance of retirement by lending them the money for a deposit on a house, the mortgage for which could be funded by renting out the property. The Commissioners will give consideration to this in due course.

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