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Profits from the Crown Estate and its assets in Wales should go to the Welsh Government and not the UK Government, a Senedd Member has said.
Currently, revenue from the Crown Estate in Wales goes straight to the UK Treasury.
South Wales East MS Delyth Jewell, of Plaid Cymru, is calling for the management of this to be devolved to the Welsh Government.
What is the Crown Estate?
The Crown Estate is an independent commercial business, created by an Act of Parliament, with a diverse portfolio of UK buildings, shoreline, seabed, forestry, agriculture and common land. The business generates valuable revenue for the government and over the last ten years has contributed £2.6 billion to the Consolidated Fund.
The Crown Estate works with HM Treasury.
Source: UK Government
Ms Jewell, who is her party’s deputy leader and spokesperson for energy and the environment, referred to Scotland, where Crown Estate profits are given to the Scottish Government, instead of the UK Government.
She said the money could be used to create well-paid green jobs and fund further research into solutions to tackle the climate crisis.
Ms Jewell also highlighted the Prince Madog – a research vessel commissioned by Bangor University that enables UK’s marine scientists to study the biology, chemistry, geology and physics of the seas.
She said money raised from Wales being in control of its Crown Estate assets could be invested into the Prince Madog to offer Welsh scientists the opportunity to understand more about Wales’ coastline, both offshore and the near shore environment.
The issue was debated in the Senedd on Wednesday July 12, with Plaid Cymru tabling a motion calling on these powers to be devolved.
Ms Jewell said: “Wales’ natural resources should be controlled by Wales for the benefit of the communities of Wales, not Westminster.
“This is no more true than with the Crown Estate – a company which holds assets in Wales, valued at more than £600m in 2021, and yet the profits of which go straight to the UK Treasury.”
Ms Jewell continued: “Profits made from Wales’ natural resources should be kept in Wales to boost our economy, not that of the UK Treasury. It should be as simple as that.
“It’s the case in Scotland, where those powers have been transferred and the revenue from Scottish assets now go straight to the Scottish Government.”
Ms Jewell added: “Ultimately, it’s the people of Wales who should be able to direct how best to benefit from that economic opportunity – not Westminster, and this starts with the Senedd voting for Plaid Cymru’s motion to demand power over the Crown Estate.”
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