Diocesan Stipends Funds (Amendment) Measure

Baroness Sherlock Excerpts

Tuesday 27th June 2023 Lords Chamber

At the heart of this Measure is a small gesture of possible generosity from a well-endowed diocese to one that is struggling to pay stipends. The present geographic restrictions mean that a diocese can use its money for stipends only within its own diocesan border. Any transfer of funds out of a diocese will still be able to be used only to pay for stipends. I commend this Measure to the House.

[Baroness Sherlock (Lab)]

My Lords, I declare an interest as a priest of the Church of England, but not one in receipt of a stipend.

I thank the right reverend Prelate the Bishop of Sheffield for his clear introduction to this Measure and for showing us once again that Church of England Measures are sometimes much more interesting than they sound from the title—that is certainly the case today. I also thank the noble Baroness, Lady Harris of Richmond. Indeed, the House is indebted to the whole of the Ecclesiastical Committee once again for its work in scrutinising this Measure and assuring us that it is expedient.

I reassure the right reverend Prelate that I am not getting up to oppose the Measure in any way; I just thought this might be an opportunity to ask him a question. He may know that Members of both Houses have been receiving representations from a group calling itself Save the Parish, which suggests that more money from the Church of England should be directed to the front line of parish ministry. This is obviously a matter for the Church but I wonder if he could simply take this opportunity to tell the House whether this Measure will help in that regard or whether those concerns are misplaced?

[Lord Kennedy of Southwark (Lab Co-op)]

My Lords, I am not a member of the Church of England—I am actually a Catholic—but I have great respect for the Church of England and, of course, for all the right reverend Prelates who take part in the deliberations here. I am fascinated by the funding issue. I think this a really good Measure; I did not know anything about it until we heard from the right reverend Prelate. It is good to see that better-off parishes are funding less well-off parishes; I commend that very much. I would like to know a bit more about funding for the Catholic Church but I suspect that is for another debate. I am very happy to support the Measure and I thank the right reverend Prelate for moving it.