The Church of England has voted to extend the same pension rights to the partners of gay clergy as those now given wives or husbands, officials say. The decision by the church synod went beyond the requirements of the law legalizing civil partnerships, The Times of London reported. The Civil Partnership Act of 2004 required pensions accrue to registered partners beginning in December 2005.

“This is not a debate about gay clergy,” said Simon Baynes, a newly elected member of the pension board. “It is a debate about pensions
and the unfairness we have allowed to be built into our system.”