§ Mr. Ben Chapman:To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners if he will press the Commissioners to take steps to accelerate the timetable for the McClean review of clergy terms of service to deliver its final report. [140553]
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§ Mr. Bell:The Church Commissioners support the view of the McClean review group that this important and complex work cannot, and should not, be rushed.
Good progress has been made. The review has completed the first phase of its work (considering clergy without security of tenure) according to the timetable in its terms of reference. It will report to the Archbishops' Council on 9 December and it is hoped that there will be a debate by the General Synod in February, followed by a period of consultation with dioceses and clergy.
It is hoped that the second phase of the group's work (addressing the position of clergy with the freehold and any follow-up from the first phase) will be completed by the end of 2004.