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Devolve power over Crown Estate to boost Wales’ energy supply, says Plaid Cymru MP

25 Jan 2022 3 minute read
Ben Lake MP speaking in the House of Commons

A Plaid Cymru MP has called for powers over the Crown Estate to be devolved in order to help bolster Wales’ renewable energy supply.

The party’s Treasury spokesperson, Ben Lake MP, has said doing so would “bolster Welsh revenues, increase our bargaining power with the private sector and support renewable energy deployment”.

He added it would also help with “ensuring that the communities in which this energy is generated will be where its benefits are enjoyed the most.”

The UK Government has repeatedly refused to devolve power over the Crown Estate assets in Wales to the Senedd, despite having given control over its holdings in Scotland to the Scottish Parliament.

The Crown Estate is a collection of lands and holdings in the United Kingdom belonging to the British monarch. It holds the rights to seabeds around the British Isles.

However, powers over the management of Crown Estate in Wales are still held in Westminster, and the revenues go directly to the UK Government’s Treasury.

Speaking during an SNP opposition day debate on the cost-of-living crisis, the Ceredigion MP also reiterated calls for the UK Government to invest £3.6 billion over 10 years on insulating Welsh homes, as recommended by Wales’ Future Generations Commissioner.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Ben Lake said: “The crisis has demonstrated the need for longer term action, action for example to boost productivity, green solutions to help the energy supply emergency and in so doing, to alleviate stagnating living wages.

“We can ease the crisis in the long term by reducing energy demand. If we were to do so, we also quite simply put, reduce the fuel bills. A good place to start is to improve household heating efficiency.

“At the Autumn Budget, I called on the Chancellor to make a £3.6 billion investment over 10 years, in conjunction with the Welsh Government and the private sector, to improve home insulation in Wales. It’s well documented that the quality of the Welsh housing stock is poor by both British and European standards. Energy efficiency is quite a sight to behold.

“This would not only boost employment in areas that desperately need ‘levelling up’ through retrofitting schemes but would also address fuel poverty. A report by the Future Generations’ Commissioner in Wales has suggested that if such a package of investment over 10 years were to be realised, we would be able to end fuel poverty in Wales, bringing average savings each year of £418.”

‘Longer-term’ 

Closing, Mr Lake added: “We also need to bolster local renewable energy supply if we are serious about tackling the longer-term issues as regards our fuel and energy supply. I would reiterate Plaid Cymru’s call for the devolution of the management of the Crown Estate in Wales.

“Quite simply – with many colleagues from Scotland in in attendance this afternoon – if Scotland can, why not Wales? Devolving the management of the Crown Estate in Wales would bolster Welsh revenues, increase our bargaining power with the private sector and support renewable energy deployment, all the while ensuring that the communities in which this energy is generated will be where its benefits are enjoyed the most.

“In sum, the Government needs to urgently do more to tackle the immediate crisis. The cost-of-living crisis is worsening not abating, and households and businesses need support now but let’s not forget about the longer term action that is required if we are not to find ourselves in this situation again in the future.”


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Quornby
Quornby
2 years ago

Mmmmm common sense…… Don’t tell Hart.

Malcolmrj
Malcolmrj
2 years ago

The Westminster government are again taking what they want off Wales we could have one of the cleanest energy that you can have USING the rise and fall of the tide around Wales one of the highest in the World but no they only whant to cover our country in wind turbines and also keep All the revenue for themselves i have noticed that it’s only the Welsh national party that’s speaking up about it independence is the only answer

Peter Cuthbert
Peter Cuthbert
2 years ago
Reply to  Malcolmrj

Glad to see Mr Lake is supporting Wales with the suggestion of the best plan for ending fuel poverty in Wales and reducing total emissions. However, such a scheme, being local, using local people will not line the pockets of the big construction companies that fund the Tory ‘Lets have a Party’ Party. Not too difficult to guess which way the Treasury will jump unfortunately.

Gareth Wyn Jones
Gareth Wyn Jones
2 years ago

Unfortunately until we get the Westminster jack boot off our necks our country will be held back, they will never release this to us, it is as valuable as coal, steel, slate etc and as we all know looting other peoples assets is Westminster’s favourite pastime

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