Devolution of Crown Estate to Wales ‘firmly back on the agenda’

Devolution of Crown Estate to Wales ‘firmly back on the agenda’ - Plaid Cymru
Plaid Cymru’s Crown Estate Wales Bill passed in the House of Lords unopposed

Today (Tuesday 20 January) Plaid Cymru’s Crown Estate Wales Bill has just passed its third reading in the House of Lords, completing all stages.

The Bill, first introduced by Dafydd Wigley, calls on the UK Government to transfer responsibility for the Crown Estate in Wales to the Welsh Government.

In response to the passing of the Bill in the House of Lords, Lord Livermore, the Financial Secretary to the Treasury said that, as the House as heard before, the UK Government does not support the devolution of the Crown Estate to Wales, and rather believes that the way it currently operates “provides the best outcomes for Wales and the wider United Kingdom”.

However, Plaid Cymru MP Llinos Medi will reintroduce the Bill as a Private Member’s Bill in the House of Commons. Whether it progresses will depend on the UK Government agreeing to allocate parliamentary time. Ms Medi will also table an Early Day Motion urging the Government to do so.

In February 2025, Ms Medi tabled an amendment to the UK Government’s Crown Estate Bill which would have given Wales parity with Scotland by bringing powers over natural resources into Welsh hands. The amendment was voted down, including by every Labour MP from Wales.

Since then, all 22 councils in Wales have passed motions calling for the Crown Estate’s devolution.
Welsh Labour’s leaked election strategy explained how they have “proudly made the case” for the devolution of the Crown Estate and that “many Welsh Ministers” have had discussions with their UK Government counterparts, but this has not been delivered.

Llinos Medi MP’s reintroduction of this Bill to the Commons provides this UK Labour Government with another opportunity to deliver on their Welsh counterparts’ policy of devolving the Crown Estate to Wales.

Plaid Cymru peer, Dafydd Wigley said:
“I am very pleased that this Bill, that I first introduced to the House of Lords in September 2024, has today passed its final stage. Plaid Cymru and I have consistently made the case that Welsh resources should be in Welsh hands, and I am glad to have secured support from across the House that this is the most logical way for Welsh communities to benefit from the wealth they generate.

“I now look forward to the Bill progressing to the House of Commons, where Llinos Medi will proudly present it. The UK Government should make time for the Bill’s consideration because it is what Wales deserves.”

Llinos Medi MP added:
“The passing of this Bill in the House of Lords today ensures that the devolution of the Crown Estate to Wales is firmly back on the agenda here in Westminster. It remains deeply disappointing that not a single Welsh Labour MP supported my amendment to bring these powers into Welsh hands last year. This was a missed opportunity to stand up for their own constituents, who would directly benefit from ensuring that the wealth generated by Wales’s natural resources is retained and reinvested in our communities, rather than continuing to be siphoned off to London.

“For far too long, wealth has been extracted from our communities in Wales, and we have very little say over how it is managed or where the profits go. This Bill presents a real opportunity to begin redressing that historic imbalance. We only need to look at Scotland, which has had full control over its Crown Estate since 2016 and since then has reinvested millions of pounds each year back into local communities. Wales deserves the same parity of power.

“It is not only Plaid Cymru calling for this either – every single council in Wales has now voted in favour of these powers being devolved, demonstrating a clear national consensus. I therefore look forward to making this case once again to the UK Government when I reintroduce this Bill to the House of Commons as a Private Members’ Bill. The UK Government should make time for it, because Wales cannot be denied control over its own resources any longer.”