← Back to House of Commons Debates
Crown Estate Bill [Lords] 2025-01-07
07 January 2025
Lead MP
Darren Jones
Debate Type
General Debate
Tags
TaxationClimate
Other Contributors: 34
At a Glance
Darren Jones raised concerns about crown estate bill [lords] 2025-01-07 in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Lead Contributor
Opened the debate
Commends the hon. Friend for his ten-minute rule Bill and explains that the Crown Estate Bill aims to modernize legislation governing the Crown Estate, allowing it more freedom to compete in the marketplace and invest sustainably. The Bill broadens investment opportunities, enables borrowing with Treasury consent, and includes governance reforms to ensure sustainable development goals are met.
Stephen Flynn
SNP
Aberdeen South
Asks why provisions for England and Wales do not extend to Scotland's Crown Estate.
Mark Pritchard
Con
The Wrekin
Questions the potential conflict of interest regarding investment in GB Energy and concerns about liability if investments fail, as well as borrowing from the Government at commercial rates.
Orkney and Shetland
Asks whether the Crown Estate will be compelled to prioritise renewable energy development over fishing industry interests in case of conflicts, highlighting potential legal compulsion based on primary duty.
Melanie Onn
Lab
Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes
Offers reassurance by citing the Crown Estate's engagement with both renewable energy and fishing industries to prevent conflicts through early planning.
Jayne Kirkham
Lab/Co-op
Truro and Falmouth
Highlights Clause 3, which requires the Commissioners to review the impact of their activities on sustainable development in the UK.
Stephen Flynn
Lab
Aberdeen South
Questions the Minister about why powers should apply to Crown Estate in England and Wales but not in Scotland. Inquires if reasons for this disparity are clear.
Steve Race
Lab
Exeter
Asks whether the Bill will stimulate economic growth in other regions, specifically highlighting potential wind energy opportunities in the south-west peninsula.
James Wild
Con
North West Norfolk
Supports the bill's aims to modernise the Crown Estate but raises concerns about lack of parliamentary oversight on borrowing levels and governance. Questions the effectiveness of relying solely on a memorandum of understanding for borrowing limits.
Considers potential risks associated with investment if things go wrong, questioning who would be liable in such cases.
Carmichael
Lab
Expresses concerns about the transparency of the partnership between GB Energy and The Crown Estate, questioning if the partnership has been created for political reasons. Raises issues regarding accountability and transparency in the reporting requirements.
Defends the Bill's provisions related to salmon farming regulations, arguing that it is necessary despite existing regulation due to its role in raising awareness of environmental impacts and animal welfare standards on Crown Estate lands.
Matt Rodda
Lab
Reading Central
Supports the Bill focusing on modernizing buildings in central London and promoting renewable energy development, particularly offshore wind. Highlights challenges such as grid connectivity delays and potential for supporting smaller renewable projects like hydro generation schemes.
South Cambridgeshire
The objectives of the Bill are to broaden the investment and borrowing powers of the Crown Estate and to strengthen its corporate governance, in order to help accelerate new renewable energy, particularly offshore wind. We welcome the Bill but would like further scrutiny on issues such as a cap on borrowing; accountability in the relationship with Great British Energy; managing conflicts between competing interests and values on our seabed and coastline; community benefit; devolution in Wales; and our climate and nature duty. The Crown Estate oversees 200,000 acres of land, 12,000 km of coastline and a seabed area larger than the combined land mass of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Despite constraints on its ability to borrow, the Bill could unlock investment in vital infrastructure across supply chains, ports and green energy sectors. The borrowing cap is 20% of the loan-to-value ratio. Annual reports should be provided on activities within that relationship. A framework for devolving the Crown Estate in Wales needs to be set out. Mapping the seabed around our coastline must balance economic development with environmental responsibility. Communities need assurance that they will benefit from investment and renewable projects facilitated by this Bill. Amendment 10 requires commissioners to review the impact of their activities on sustainable development.
Henry Tufnell
Lab
Mid and South Pembrokeshire
The Crown Estate, a peculiar feature of our society, sits as one of the most powerful natural resources in wind. This Bill grants up to £60 billion of borrowing powers to the Crown Estate, demonstrating its scale and influence. The key question is whether it serves the people or seeks to feather its own nest. Offshore Pembrokeshire has an abundance of wind but requires enabling investments into UK supply chains for ports and coastal facilities for floating wind. Unfortunately, no assurances have been secured that the Crown Estate will utilise its financial resources for energy security, jobs, and acceleration to net zero. The conflict between raising national income via annual option fees and incentivising early investment needs resolution.
Llinos Medi
PC
Ynys Môn
The Crown Estate owns a significant portion of Wales’s foreshore and riverbeds, as well as substantial land. In recent years, the value of these assets has increased dramatically, with profits rising from £345 million in 2020 to £1.1 billion in 2024. However, unlike Scotland, where revenues are retained locally, Wales loses this revenue to the Treasury and the sovereign grant. Welsh councils also face substantial lease fees for using Crown Estate land. Medi argues that devolving control of the Crown Estate to Wales would ensure profits from natural resources benefit local communities, akin to what happens in Scotland.
Catherine Fookes
Lab
Monmouthshire
Fookes criticises Plaid Cymru for being divided on the issue of devolving the Crown Estate. She questions why some members support provisions in the Bill to create a commissioner with special responsibility for Wales, while others argue only full devolution is acceptable.
Claire Hughes
Lab
Bangor Aberconwy
Hughes argues that devolving the Crown Estate could delay delivering clean energy jobs and opportunities across Wales. She suggests a pragmatic approach, citing the need for development in her constituency and neighbouring areas.
Jayne Kirkham
Lab/Co-op
Truro and Falmouth
Kirkham welcomes the Bill's changes to the Crown Estate’s powers but emphasises that these should be aligned with sustainable development goals. She advocates for non-price factors in lease auctions, such as socioeconomic impacts and environmental considerations, and suggests using exemptions to WTO rules to factor these into decisions.
Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire
Supports the Bill's efforts to enhance the Crown Estate’s capacity for renewable energy projects. Emphasises the importance of community benefits from such developments. Cites examples from Germany where offshore wind farms generated significant community benefits.
Acknowledges community benefit initiatives by companies like Ørsted and RWE in her constituency, highlighting specific contributions to youth support and local education activities.
Perran Moon
Lab
Camborne and Redruth
Welcomes the Bill's provisions for improving Crown Estate governance and investment powers. Focuses on the potential of floating offshore wind in the Celtic sea to benefit deprived areas like Cornwall, emphasising the need for improved grid connectivity.
Jim Allister
TUV
North Antrim
Highlights concerns about the prioritization of offshore wind development over traditional fishing industry interests. Questions whether sustainable development is balanced in favour of wind farms at the expense of environmental impacts and local communities.
Not specified
Party Unknown
Unknown
Advocating caution regarding offshore wind farms near UNESCO sites and the importance of balancing environmental protection with development.
Dave Robertson
Lab
Lichfield
Supports the Bill for its potential to bring jobs and economic growth, highlighting its role in reaching net zero goals and tackling climate change. Emphasises the Crown Estate's need for modernisation to support future industries.
Melanie Onn
Lab
Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes
Welcomes the Bill’s potential to drive investment, create educational opportunities in renewables, and foster collaboration with existing industries. Emphasises the importance of sustainable development and community benefits.
Luke Charters
Lab
York Outer
The Bill is an important piece of legislation that unlocks growth and drives clean energy. It changes outdated rules to allow the Crown Estate to reinvest its resources, supporting new projects worth up to £60 billion in private sector investment. The Bill also enhances GB Energy's initiatives for green energy transition and economic growth.
Chris Vince
Lab/Co-op
Harlow
Supports the view that the Bill is crucial for creating growth and jobs, highlighting its importance alongside other legislation like the Great British Energy Bill. Emphasises the need for public ownership of clean power to ensure energy security.
Adam Jogee
Lab
Newcastle-under-Lyme
Encourages the Crown Estate to consider local areas like Newcastle-under-Lyme when investing under its new freedoms, while noting that the additional revenue from the Bill will benefit constituents across the UK.
James Wild
Con
Norfolk North
The Crown Estate is neither the property of the Government nor part of the sovereign’s private estate. Its core purpose is to maintain and enhance the value of the estate and the income derived from it. Greater transparency about the partnership with GB Energy is needed, including publishing the partnership agreement before Committee stage. Concerns exist regarding conflicts and risks around investment decisions and returns for taxpayers.
James Murray
Purpose of the Bill is to bring Crown Estate legislation into the 21st century by enhancing its powers and governance, enabling it to further invest in the energy transition and deliver returns to the public purse. Borrowing powers will be from the Treasury or with Treasury consent, consistent with fiscal rules. Commissioners' pre-appointment scrutiny follows established processes. Chief executive pay is at the lower end of private sector peer groups, performance-based. Partnership agreement details are commercially sensitive but will be published in annual reports. Amendment on seabed sale may be needed and will be considered.
South Cambridgeshire
Raised points about the Crown Estate's responsibility to balance offshore renewables expansion with fishing industry needs, marine wildlife protection and environmental stewardship.
Henry Tufnell
Lab
Mid and South Pembrokeshire
Emphasised the importance of long-term community benefits, local supply chains, and investment in jobs and skills through clean energy projects.
Jayne Kirkham
Con
Truro and Falmouth
Stressed the need for collaboration between the Crown Estate and local communities to ensure employment opportunities and environmental protection alongside renewable energy development.
Perran Moon
Lab
Camborne and Redruth
Highlighted the importance of long-term community benefits, such as providing apprenticeships and skills training for offshore wind projects.
Government Response
Responds to queries about extending provisions to Scotland's Crown Estate, conflict of interest regarding GB Energy investment, prioritization over fishing industry interests, and Clause 3. Emphasises that borrowing powers will require Treasury consent and ensure value for money. The Crown Estate Bill aims to clarify and broaden the commissioners’ powers, allowing for borrowing with Treasury consent, modernising governance by increasing board members from eight to twelve, removing limitations on investment powers, requiring impact assessments on sustainable development, and enabling the Crown Estate to engage in capital-intensive projects for energy transition. The bill aims to unlock more long-term investment, creating high-quality jobs and driving growth across the UK. Purpose of the Bill is to bring Crown Estate legislation into the 21st century by enhancing its powers and governance, enabling it to further invest in the energy transition and deliver returns to the public purse. Borrowing powers will be from the Treasury or with Treasury consent, consistent with fiscal rules. Commissioner pre-appointment scrutiny follows established processes. Chief executive pay is at the lower end of private sector peer groups, performance-based. Partnership agreement details are commercially sensitive but will be published in annual reports. Amendment on seabed sale may be needed and will be considered.
Shadow Response
None
Shadow Response
Supports the Bill’s aims but raises concerns about lack of parliamentary oversight on borrowing levels and governance. Questions the effectiveness of relying solely on a memorandum of understanding for borrowing limits, proposing instead to have a cap in legislation that could be swiftly amended through a statutory instrument. The Crown Estate is neither the property of the Government nor part of the sovereign’s private estate. Its core purpose is to maintain and enhance the value of the estate and the income derived from it. Greater transparency about the partnership with GB Energy is needed, including publishing the partnership agreement before Committee stage. Concerns exist regarding conflicts and risks around investment decisions and returns for taxpayers. Expressed concern about environmental impacts of offshore wind development, questioning the potential fragmentation of renewable energy markets if further devolution occurs.
▸
Assessment & feedback
Summary accuracy
About House of Commons Debates
House of Commons debates take place in the main chamber of the House of Commons. These debates cover a wide range of topics including government policy, legislation, and current affairs. MPs from all parties can participate, question ministers, and hold the government accountable for its decisions.