THE DEVOLUTION OF THE CROWN ESTATES BILL

Plaid Cymru’s Crown Estate Wales Bill has passed its third reading (unopposed) in the House of Lords today, (20th January) this marks a symbolic victory for the long-running campaign to bring control of Welsh natural assets into Welsh hands. 

The Bill was first introduced by Plaid Cymru peer Dafydd Wigley, who has argued that Wales should have the same powers as Scotland over its Crown Estate. The legislation calls on the UK Government to devolve responsibility for the Crown Estate in Wales to the Welsh Government.

The Crown Estate controls large swathes of the Welsh seabed and coastline, as well as around 50,000 acres of land, generating significant revenue that currently flows to the UK Treasury and the monarchy rather than being reinvested directly in Welsh communities.

Despite the smooth passage of the Bill through the House of Lords, the Labour Westminster Government has clearly reiterated its opposition to any devolution of control of the Crown Estates. Lord Livermore, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, said ministers believe the current arrangements “provide the best outcomes for Wales and the wider United Kingdom”.

Plaid Cymru has signalled that the issue is far from settled. Llinos Medi, the MP for Ynys Môn, confirmed she will reintroduce the Bill as a Private Member’s Bill in the House of Commons. Whether it progresses will depend on whether the UK Government agrees to allocate parliamentary time.

Ms Medi has also pledged to table an Early Day Motion to increase pressure on ministers to allow the Bill to be debated. The move follows a failed attempt last year to amend the UK Government’s Crown Estate Bill.

Back in February 2025, Ms Medi proposed an amendment that would have given Wales parity with Scotland by devolving Crown Estate powers. The amendment was voted down, including by every Welsh Labour MP.

Since then, support for devolution has grown within Wales. All 22 local authorities have passed motions calling for the Crown Estate to be devolved, while a leaked Welsh Labour election strategy acknowledged that the party has “proudly made the case” for devolution, despite it not yet being delivered by the UK Government.

Dafydd Wigley, speaking after the Lords vote, 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.

“When the Bill was passed in the Lords the government chief whip announced that ‘the King has signified his consent’, which is the normal procedure, but in the Commons the government will be pressing MPs not to make time for it. What would be really interesting would be if some Welsh Labour MPs were prepared to support it.”

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.”

Last month, the Labour in Wales Welsh Government announced it was setting up a new expert group to examine options for reforming how the Crown Estate operates in Wales. The group, which first met in December, is exploring governance, accountability and the potential devolution of powers, reflecting growing momentum behind reform.

WELSH GROWTH FUNDS REDIRECTED TO UK GOVERNMENT SCHEME

Plaid Cymru condemns £86 million ‘top-slicing’ of Wales’s regional funding allocation for a Whitehall-designed programme.

Plaid Cymru has today (Thursday 11th December) raised concerns after Rebecca Evans MS, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Planning, suggested during a Welsh Affairs Committee evidence session that part of Wales’s expected Local Growth Fund allocation has been redirected by the UK Government to finance its Pride in Place scheme – a programme designed and delivered entirely from Whitehall, with no Welsh Government involvement.

The disclosure comes amid mounting tensions within Labour, after eleven Labour MSs accused the UK Government last week of “rolling back devolution” through the imposition of Pride in Place under the UK Internal Market Act.

The session of the Welsh Affairs Committee on Wednesday, which examined inward investment and the industrial transition facing Wales, also covered the new Local Growth Funds due to replace the Shared Prosperity Fund from April 2026.

During questioning, Llinos Medi MP for Ynys Môn drew attention to an £86 million shortfall between the £633 million Wales was initially told to expect over the spending period and the £547 million confirmed in October.

Pressed by Ms Medi on the reason for the reduced allocation, Ms Evans told MPs:

“I understand that the decision was taken that some of the funding would be channelled through the Pride in Place fund. Now, that's a UK Government fund – it's not something that the Welsh government are involved with. We haven’t been involved with the design of that, and we don't have a role in the delivery of that either. So, I think, I will check, but I think the funding we're talking about here relates to the Pride in Place funding.”

Speaking on Thursday, Llinos Medi MP said:

“This is Welsh regional funding being top-sliced into a Whitehall-controlled scheme behind closed doors. Money that was promised for communities in Wales has been quietly carved up in London, with no guarantee it will be spent where it is needed. 

“The UK Government cannot claim to respect devolution while diverting funds into programmes that Wales’s government had no role in designing. The failure of that design is clear: only one town in my constituency of Ynys Môn could even qualify for Pride in Place funding.

 “This situation raises serious questions about Labour’s respect for devolution, but more fundamentally it is a question of trust, fairness, and how future settlements for Wales will be protected.”

- ENDS -

URGE YOUR MP TO SUPPORT WALES

On Monday 24th February 2025, the Crown Estate Bill will be debated in the House of Commons at its Report Stage.

Llinos Medi MP’s amendment is the last chance to demand fairness for Wales in this Bill.

Urge your MP to support Plaid Cymru’s amendment.

You can Find your MP here

Draft letter:

Dear MP,

I am writing to urge you to support the amendment to the Crown Estate Bill, tabled by Llinos Medi MP, which will be debated on 24th February.

This amendment calls for the transfer of Crown Estate management in Wales to the Welsh Government within two years, allowing Wales to control the profits from its own natural resources. Currently, millions of pounds generated in Wales go directly to the UK Treasury, leaving our communities with no benefit. In contrast, Scotland has seen significant benefits since the devolution of its Crown Estate.

The devolution of the Crown Estate has widespread support in Wales, and MPs should represent the interests of their constituents. I urge you to sign the amendment and support Wales' right to control its own resources.

 

Kind regards,

[Your name]

A STUNNING GENERAL ELECTION RESULT

Plaid Cymru hail “stunning” general election result

Plaid Cymru have hailed a “stunning” general election result after retaining its two incumbent MPs and gaining two others.

Plaid Cymru Leader Rhun ap Iorwerth MS said,

 

“This is a stunning result for Plaid Cymru and testament to the real warmth and enthusiasm we have been feeling on the doorstep for the last six weeks.

 

Despite the tough context of an unprecedented Labour wave, this is the party’s best ever result in a General Election - representing the greatest proportion of seats won.

 

People were consistently telling us that they were desperate to see the back of the Tories but that Labour weren’t offering real change either.

 

Plaid Cymru stood on a positive and ambitious platform of fairness for Wales and I’m delighted that people have put their faith in four outstanding candidates to represent them in Westminster.

 

Liz, Ben, Llinos and Ann will work tirelessly to make sure that Wales’s voice is never ignored by the incoming Labour government.

 

Despite throwing everything at Caerfyrddin and Ynys Môn, Labour’s UK wide wave failed in the face of strong local campaigns and two excellent new additions to Plaid’s ranks in Westminster.

 

This result shows that Plaid Cymru is the clear alternative to Labour in Wales and our focus now shifts to putting forward a vision which more people than every can get behind at the Senedd Election in 2026.”

 

- ENDS -