Latest Press Releases
| CROWN ESTATE PROFITS UNDERLINE CASE FOR POWER TRANSFER |
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| Thursday, 07 July 2011 14:45 |
 The SNP’s Angus Robertson has renewed calls for devolution of the Crown Estate to Scotland as the organisation today (Thursday) announced record annual profits. The local Moray MP said transferring responsibility would allow Scotland to realise the full economic potential of the country’s foreshores and seabed, helping create thousands of additional jobs and support the transition to a low carbon economy. With massive investment in offshore renewables planned for the Moray Firth Mr Robertson says that the public benefit must come back to where the money is being generated and that can only happen if the Crown Estate activities in Scotland are managed by Scotland and revenues retained in Scotland. The SNP’s Mr Robertson said: “ We have a bizarre situation where the legislation on land use and marine management is dealt with by the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Government but the public revenues generated from the Crown Estate activity in these areas disappears to the Treasury. “ This is a relic of archaeic legislation and the record profits that have been announced demonstrate clearly how Scotrland is losing out. We must be able to manage these public assets in Scotland for the benefit of the people of Scotland. “ The Crown Estate needs to be accountable to the Scottish Parliament and its people and delivering direct benefits to our communities. “ The Scottish Government has responsibility for economic development - including the massive potential from offshore renewables, yet the Crown Estate who grant the leases for these projects have no accountability and no obligation. “ We cannot continue to have one hand tied behind our back in a vital area of economic activity. That does not serve either Moray or Scotland at all well.” “ Transferring control from Westminster to Holyrood would allow us to realise the seabed’s full economic potential, helping create thousands of additional jobs across Scotland and supporting the transition to a low carbon economy.” Background The Scottish Government has published a paper calling for control of the Crown Estate - Scotland's seabed, foreshore and other public assets - to be devolved to the Scottish Parliament, as endorsed by a vote at Holyrood on June 2. The paper - one of six being published to highlight the Scottish Government's proposed enhancements to the Scotland Bill - outlines plans for a phased devolution of the Crown Estate in Scotland: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/ It focuses on how local communities can benefit from the development of offshore renewables with the creation of a Fund for Future Generations, enabling a share of the substantial anticipated future revenues from offshore energy to be invested for the long-term benefit of the people. The paper also advocates linking investment from Crown Estate revenues with the release of Fossil Fuel Levy resources, which currently stand at nearly £200 million. |
