LibDems call for Devolution
of Crown Estates in Wales
Welsh functions of the Crown Estate Commissioners should be directed by Welsh Ministers or a person nominated by Welsh Ministers.
Profits generated by the Crown Estate, on Welsh lands and waters, should remain in Wales, for the benefit of our residents and communities. For example, profit from offshore energy lease agreements should stay in Wales. Likewise, the fees paid by Councils for public access to beaches and marinas – Crown Estates own 65% of the coast of Wales.
The case was made strongly by Baroness Humphreys of Llanwrst, in the House of Lords on Monday 14th October.
The Crown Estate’s Commissioners operate within a system which was established in the 1960s with a history going back to 1760 and changing it needs an Act of Parliament similar to that which devolved similar powers to Scotland in 2017.
They are trapped by history, but Wales has moved on, and devolution has opened the eyes of the people of Wales to the opportunities - and responsibilities - the new order has brought.
Here is the text of her speech
My Lords
I would draw your Lordships’ attention to my register of interests and my membership of the Board of Community and Voluntary Support Conwy (CVSC).
I rise to speak to Amendment 26 in my name and Amendments 1, 21 and 23 in the names of the NL Lord Wigley and the NL Baroness Smith of Llanfaes.
My Amendment 26, calls for the devolution of the Crown Estates powers to Wales and would require the Treasury to devolve Welsh functions of the Crown Estate Commissioners to Welsh Ministers or a person nominated by Welsh Ministers.
My Lords
There are increasing calls within Wales for the devolution of these powers.
It is a policy of my Party, the Welsh Liberal Democrats, having been debated and agreed in our Welsh Conference in 2023 and which would ensure that the profit from offshore energy lease agreements stays in Wales.
In July 2023 Senedd members voted by a majority of 35 votes to 13 in favour of a Plaid Cymru debate calling for the devolution of the Crown Estate to Welsh Government.
There are similar calls at local government level too. Last week, as the Noble Lord has already detailed, Councillors in Gwynedd County Council debated a motion asking their Chief Executive to open negotiations with the Crown Estate over ‘access fees’ - the Council paid their annual fee of £161,000 to the Crown Estate in 2023 to allow public access to beaches in Gwynedd, of which £144,000 was paid to allow access to Hafan Pwllheli Marina.
Councillors also believed that responsibility for the Crown Estate should be devolved to the Welsh government, with their motion stating that ‘any profits generated by the Crown Estate, on Welsh lands and waters, should remain in Wales, for the benefit of our residents and communities.’
In addition to this, social media videos provide information about the Crown Estate and explain why the promoters want change, leading to greater awareness of the issue among the public too.
The Crown Estate owns land estimated to be worth more than £603m in Wales. This includes 65% of the coast of Wales and 300,000 acres of land - including any gold and silver on it. (Profits on these numbers are unclear, however.
Let me be clear - there is no criticism of the Crown Estate’s Commissioners implicit in this amendment. The Commissioners operate within a system which was established 63 years ago (but with a history going back to 1760) and cannot diverge from the status quo without an Act of Parliament similar to that which devolved similar powers to Scotland in 2017.
So, while the Commissioners operate a system from the sixties, history for us in Wales, has moved on and devolution has opened the eyes of the people of Wales to the opportunities - and responsibilities - the new order has brought.
My colleagues and I are ambitious for Wales. We envisage a Celtic Sea Powerhouse building on the success of renewable energy projects around our coast and we see how the offshore wind industry offers a potential to help revive local economies in coastal communities - and we see the need to develop the production of wind turbines within Wales, taking advantage of the industrial infrastructure already in place - but - we want the decisions about the use of our resources to be made in Wales by our politicians.
My Amendment 26 has a similar outcome to Amendment 21 in the name of Baroness Smith of Llanfaes but my amendment doesn’t include a timeframe for the transference of powers to the Welsh government.
The report of the National Infrastructure Commission Wales asserts that ‘By 2030, The Crown Estate’s functions in Wales should be completely devolved to a new body that has, as its principal aim, the reinvestment of all funds in Wales for the long-term benefits of the people of Wales …….’
“By 2030” is a timeframe I’m more comfortable with - it allows time for the Welsh government to persuade the UK government of the merits of the case - and hopefully, the Party which gave us our valued and, some would say, precious devolution settlement will be in listening mode and introduce the necessary legislation. It’s disappointing, of course, that no discussions have taken place between the two governments prior to the introduction of this Bill.
Perhaps the Minister can update us on the situation, if other discussions have taken place.
The next Welsh General election in 18 months time will herald a new, larger Senedd with the improved capacity for more efficient scrutiny - and the potential to take on more responsibilities and powers.
Like all governments, whether they’ve been in power for 14 years or 100 days, the Welsh government has had to deal with serious issues and unforced errors over recent years.
The criticism of their running of the Welsh NHS will, inevitably, have an impact on those who work within it. As we wait for improvements in the Welsh government’s performance, I pay tribute to the doctors and nurses and ancillary staff who work in our GP surgeries, hospitals and in the community - they save lives and make lives better every day, sometimes in difficult circumstances.
Whatever the composition of our new Senedd I hope the increase in members will mean a return to the sure-footedness of earlier years when the National Assembly - as it was then - dealt efficiently and competently with EU Objective One funding.
Our enlarged Senedd will have the confidence to carry out an increased number of functions, including the devolved Welsh functions of the Crown Estate commissioners, many of us will continue to press for the devolution of further powers to Welsh Ministers, including the devolution of Justice.
Over 25 years ago we were told that devolution is a process, not an event. I hope those words come to fruition.
