Amendment tabled by Welsh MP to devolve Crown Estate to Wales

Plaid Cymru Energy spokesperson, Llinos Medi MP has tabled an amendment to Westminster’s Crown Estate Bill to transfer the management of the Crown Estate’s assets in Wales to the Welsh Government.

During today’s session (6 February) the Ynys Môn MP will argue that the devolution of the Crown Estate to Wales within two years of the commencement of the Act is a vital step to ensure that profits generated from Welsh land and seabed benefit Welsh people directly.

She will argue that devolution of the Crown Estate could become a key tool in driving Welsh economic development, bringing significant investment into Wales, providing high quality jobs as well as helping to address Wales’s high levels of social needs.

Renewable energy projects

In 2007, the asset value of the Crown Estate in Wales was £21.1 million. By 2023, this figure had skyrocketed to £853 million, largely driven by the rising demand for renewable energy projects.

Research conducted on behalf of the Crown Estate estimated that up to 5,300 new jobs and up to £1.4 billion could be generated for the UK economy from the development of new floating wind farms off the coast of the Celtic Sea.

Plaid Cymru Leader, Rhun ap Iorwerth, has also urged the First Minister, Eluned Morgan, to honour her promise to “fight for more control” over Wales’ Crown Estate assets and support this amendment through the Committee’s formal scrutiny process.

‘Fairness’

Ahead of the Committee session, Ms Medi MP said:  “Wales is rich in natural resources that generate millions of pounds worth of profits every year. While Scotland directly benefits from these funds, Welsh Crown Estate funds are sent to the UK Treasury. The Crown Estate Bill could be our last chance to ensure fairness between Scotland on Wales on this crucial issue.

“Plaid Cymru has been leading the calls for devolution of the Crown Estate for many years, and in July 2023 the Senedd passed a Plaid Cymru motion calling for the devolution of the management of the Crown Estate to the Welsh Government.

“With the profits from the Crown Estate rising exponentially, there is now a real urgency to our calls for its devolution, so the people of Wales can have control over their natural resources and benefit financially from resources that are rightfully ours.”