§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners what proportion of each diocese's income is represented by payments made by the Church Commissioners. [124800]
§ Mr. BellIn 2001, the most recent year for which figures for total Church expenditure are available, the commissioners paid 19 per cent. of the Church's overall running costs. This included full responsibility for meeting the cost of clergy pensions arising from service up to the end of 1997. Such expenditure is paid direct to pensioners, not through dioceses, and we do not keep a record of the proportion of each diocese's total income which comes from the commissioners.
However, details of how the commissioners' funds are used to support the Church's ministry around the country can be found in the General Synod document which I made available to the hon. Gentleman.