Wales did ask to run Crown Estate, minister clarifies

The UK government has been forced to clarify that the Welsh government has asked for the devolution of the Crown Estate.

Owned by the monarch, and helping to fund the Royal Family, the estate owns more than £603m of land in Wales, including 65% of the seabed around the coastline.

Treasury minister Darren Jones had said that no discussions had taken place in a written answer to an MP in early January.

But Jones later said it had been raised between Welsh and UK ministers, although he said giving Wales power over the land would not be in its best interests.

In the Senedd, Labour First Minister Eluned Morgan acknowledged a split within Labour on the issue.

"There's lots that we agree on, and there are things that we disagree on. This is one of the areas where we disagree," she said.

The Welsh government, along with Plaid Cymru, believe it should be devolved so money raised from windfarms and other projects can be spent in Wales.

Plaid Cymru has criticised the Welsh government for not pushing hard enough for the devolution of the crown estate.

Darren Jones, chief secretary to the Treasury, said that in regular discussions between the two governments has included "devolution of the management of the Crown Estate in Wales".

He said the two sides had not entered discussions to take forward devolution of the estate.

"However, the matter has been discussed at ministerial level", he said in a written answer to a question from Llinos Medi, Plaid Cymru MP for Ynys Môn.

In an earlier written question, Jones had simply said: "The UK government has had no discussions with the Welsh Government on devolving the Crown Estate."

He added that the UK government "does not believe devolution of the Crown Estate is currently in the best interests of Wales as it could fragment the energy market, complicate existing processes, and potentially delay grid connectivity reform as well as the further development of offshore energy."

In first minister's questions on Tuesday, Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth said he was "frustrated" that Labour MPs did not support a Plaid Cymru amendment in the Commons to transfer the management of the Crown Estate.

First Minister Eluned Morgan said "our position in government remains that the Crown Estate should be devolved", and added it was an "important cause for our nation".