The Crown Estate condemned
The Crown Estate Commissioners, (CEC) as their name indicates, manage the various lands, properties and interests belonging to Royalty. In Scotland, there is a surprising amount of it – and the Scottish Affairs Committee is not happy about the way the job is being done. Its new report says the Secretary of State for Scotland should announce the Government’s commitment to ‘devolve and decentralise CEC’s ancient rights and responsibilities’ in Scotland.
Evidence to the Committee has identified major issues over the CEC’s management, particularly in relation to the seabed and the foreshore. The shortcomings add up to a shocking list, including the following:
Lack of accountability and transparency,
Lack of communication and consultation with local communities,
The inappropriateness of the CEC‘s statutory remit for its responsibilities in the marine environment,
Cash leakage from local economies and other adverse impacts arising from the way the CEC operates,
Limited benefits in Scotland from the CEC’s involvements.
The Committee concludes that the CEC’s responsibility for the administration and revenues of the ancient Crown property, rights and interests in Scotland must end. However, simply handing these responsibilities to Holyrood would not address the fundamental problems identified: the Committee says devolution of these powers should be further decentralised to local authority and local community levels as far as possible. Chair of the Committee Ian Davidson MP said it was the body of highly critical evidence about the CEC that led to the launch of this inquiry into its work.
Financial shortfall
He went on, ‘Despite the CEC’s claims that a key benefit to Scotland of its operations is that it can call on the wider financial resources of the UK-wide Crown Estate. … The data compiled shows that there has actually been a net outflow of capital from Scotland over the last five years. Since devolution the CEC has raised £10.6 million more capital by selling assets in Scotland than it has invested in Scotland over that period.
Mr Davidson considered that the CEC should no longer be the body responsible for marine and coastal assets in Scotland. He said, ‘The point is to conserve these assets and maximise the benefits to the island and coastal communities most closely involved with them. We are convinced the only way this can be done is by devolving as much of the responsibility – and benefit – down to the level of those local communities as possible.’
Notes
1. The Scottish Affairs Committee will launch this report into The Crown Estate in Scotland, at 1.00pm, on Monday 19 March, at the Kingsmill Hotel, Inverness. Members of the press and public are welcome to attend this event. The Committee will hold a briefing to media on camera at 1pm, followed by opportunities to interview the Chair Ian Davidson MP and other Members and witnesses to the inquiry. Members of the media should contact Jessica Bridges-Palmer: 020 7219 0724 / 07917 488 489.
Committee Membership is as follows: Mr Ian Davidson MP (Lab/Co-op, Glasgow South West) (Chair), Fiona Bruce MP (Con, Congleton), Mike Freer MP (Con, Finchley and Golders Green), Jim McGovern MP (Lab, Dundee West), Iain McKenzie MP (Lab, Inverclyde), David Mowat MP (Con, Warrington South), Pamela Nash MP (Lab, Airdrie and Shotts), Mr Alan Reid MP (LD, Argyll and Bute), Simon Reevell MP (Con, Dewsbury), Lindsay Roy MP (Lab, Glenrothes), and Dr Eilidh Whiteford MP (SNP, Banff and Buchan)
Media Enquiries: Jessica Bridges-Palmer: 020 7219 0724
Committee Website: http://www.parliament.uk/scotaffcom
Watch committees and parliamentary debates online: www.parliamentlive.tv
Publications / Reports / Reference Material: Copies of all select committee reports are available from the Parliamentary Bookshop (12 Bridge St, Westminster, 020 7219 3890) or the Stationery Office (0845 7023474). Committee reports, press releases, evidence transcripts, Bills; research papers, a directory of MPs, plus Hansard (from 8am daily) and much more, can be found on www.parliament.uk.
