RELIGIOUS ministers in Bury are worried that they have no employment rights, MP David Chaytor has revealed.

The Bury North MP has now joined a campaign for members of the clergy to be given legal status as employees.

He is pressing for an amendment in the law which the Employment Relations Act 1999 gave the Government the discretion to implement.

Mr Chaytor said: "This is a glaring anomaly which should be put right, and I know it is an issue of concern for several members of the clergy in my constituency"

Church of England clergy pay income tax and National Insurance, but are not regarded as salaried employees.

Mr Chaytor explained: "The stipend they receive is seen as an allowance and not a wage. About half the clergy have no employment rights whatsoever, and the other half have what is called a "freehold" which gives them security in their church until they retire, but, for example, no legal right to receive their stipend."

A small number of ministers nationwide are members of the MSF union, but the MP said the union found some dioceses unwilling to talk to them.