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Plaid Cymru MP calls for Crown Estate money to stay in Wales

28 Apr 2021 3 minute read
Liz Saville Roberts MP (CC BY 3.0)

A Plaid Cymru MP has called for money from the Crown Estate to stay in Wales.

Liz Saville Roberts made the suggestion in response to the comments of Welsh Secretary Simon Hart on landslide problems in Nefyn.

The shocking landslip on the coast took away the gardens of properties near the cliff’s edge, and Hart said that the Welsh Government can contact him if the problems caused by climate change “are beyond anything they can cope with”.

It was pointed out by the Plaid MP, who represents Dwyfor Meirionnydd that Nefyn beach is owned by the Crown Estate, and she said it could contribute to the clean up costs instead of sending money to the Westminster Treasury.

The Crown Estate property management company is a collection of lands and holdings in the UK that belong to the British monarch.

It announced £345m net revenue profit for 2019/20, 75% of which went to the UK Treasury and 25% of which went to the monarch.

The Crown Estate in Wales brought in £8.8m of revenue by activity in 2019/20 and had a property value by activity of £96.8m in the same year.

Control over Crown Estate assets in Scotland were devolved to the Scottish Parliament in 2017. But control of its assets in Wales have yet to be devolved to the Senedd.

In response to the comments of the Welsh Secretary, Liz Saville Roberts said: “Could he get the owners of Nefyn beach, the Crown Estate, to contribute to clean-up and climate change costs rather than sending Welsh revenue to Westminster Treasury?

“Not unreasonable, seeing as Crown Estate moneys raised in Scotland stay in Scotland.”

‘Changing climate’ 

Simon Hart told the Local Democracy Service: “These things seem to be happening more and more these days. Whether it’s to do with changing climate or whatever, I’ve seen a couple, not quite so bad, down in West Wales.

“Of course, it’s a matter for Welsh Government but we have always been very open with them, about if there’s a serious problem, let’s look at these things jointly and see if there are areas in which we can potentially help.

“If Welsh Government feels that it’s beyond anything they can cope with, and the advice points to remedial action being very necessary urgently, then of course it’s worth coming and talking to me and talking to the treasury.”

He said it was “technically and according to the law” a Welsh Government issue “first and foremost” but said UK Government would always look at ways to “get round legal problems” with devolution and find ways to “help out”.

He added: “We shouldn’t be too restrictive in the way we try to deal with it.”


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m powell
m powell
2 years ago

Does this revenue quoted include the money raised by leasing land to the existing and two proposed offshore windfarms?

hdavies15
hdavies15
2 years ago

Crown Estate ? Why does such an entity exist in the 21st century ? That a single family can rope in 345 million gross and keep over 85 million is a disgrace especially when most of that “Estate” was stolen in the first place. Now England may be happy to keep its Crown Estate but here in Wales we need to address question like these as a matter of urgency. There are questions concerning the uses of those properties and the incomes derived. They are currently beyond our reach and that needs rectifying.

Wrexhamian
Wrexhamian
2 years ago

It is unacceptable that, while Crown Estate assets have been devolved to the Scottish Parliament, those in Wales have not been devolved to the Senedd. Plaid Cymru are rght to raise this issue.

Siân
Siân
2 years ago

Money from the crown estate must be used immediately to pay and repair any damage. The issue of crown estate being devolved to Wales must also be addressed asap.

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