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Bishop signals church pensions for gay clergy's partners
Michael Brown The Church of England could be forced to pay pensions to the partners of its gay clergy. This was strongly signalled at the General Synod, the Church's parliament, last night by Bishop of Ripon and Leeds John Packer.
Bishop Packer, who heads the synod's Remuneration and Conditions of Service Committee, was responding to Southwark clergyman Paul Collier who a year ago disclosed to the synod that he was in a same-sex partnership.
Mr Collier asked whether the Church of England would follow the example of the Scottish Episcopal Church and commit itself to giving pension rights to registered same-sex partners of clergy "equal to those enjoyed by clergy spouses when the new law comes into effect."
This was a reference to the Civil Partnerships Act 2004,
due to come into force later this year, allowing gay couples to register their "marriage" and giving them rights including a pension. Bishop Packer told synod: "The Church of England's pension schemes are affected by this legislation in the same way as any other scheme."
But the Government had
still to make detailed regulations under the new Act and these would have to be studied, Bishop Packer said.
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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