Church of England faces possible £200million compensation payout to survivors of child sex abuse
by Steve Doughty, Mailonline:
The Church of England could be forced to pay £200million to survivors of child sex abuse, its parliament is to be told.
The money is being set aside for ‘restoration or redress’ to thousands of victims abused by bishops, clergy and lay helpers.
This huge bill is more than the annual sum spent running the C of E by its financial arm, the Church Commissioners.
It could lead to major spending cuts and force the sale of some of the Church’s £8billion-worth of historic assets.
In papers for a meeting today of the C of E ruling body, the General Synod, the Rt Rev Peter Hancock, Bishop of Bath and Wells, says the Church is co-operating with the national Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.
He admits its hearings have ‘underlined the Church’s poor response to survivors of abuse’.
The inquiry is due to make recommendations this summer and Bishop Hancock says these ‘will inform next steps, including budget setting’.
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