Deamnds for major reform of Crown Estate 27/7/11
The management of the Crown Estate needs major changes to benefit communities says the Scottish Government.
The SNP administration was wrong footed last week when the UK Government set up a Coastal Communities Fund to direct some of the Crown Estate massive profits into local projects.
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The new fund will distribute half the revenues taken by the Crown Estate in Scotland from marine developments.
Scottish Rural Affairs minister Richard Lochhead is annoyed the Scottish Government was kept in the dark.
Mr Lochhead said: “It is good that the UK Government has finally woken up to these demands – however this measure does not go nearly far enough. Scotland should benefit from 100 per cent of Crown Estate revenues, not 50 per cent.
“ Full devolution of Crown Estate would give the people of Scotland a say in how public assets are used, rather than leaving decisions to the unelected commissioners who manage the Crown Estate.
He is upset that “ministers were not consulted on these latest, timid proposals. If UK Ministers had had the courtesy to do so they would have been informed that these proposals are clearly inadequate.
"Under these plans Crown Estate revenues would still go south to Her Majesty's Treasury, with Scotland only getting half of our entitlement. However, were the Scottish Government and Parliament to have full control of the Crown Estate, we would go much further by investing revenues directly back in to local communities.
An “unimpressed” isles SNP MSP Alasdair Allan said: “Danny Alexander still doesn’t seem able to appreciate that there is now a widespread demand in Scotland that legislative control of the Crown Estate should be devolved.
“The enormous revenues which the UK Government derives from properties as varied as the foreshore rented by harbours and fishfarms, and urban properties, such as Princes Street Gardens should finally be used for the benefits of communities in Scotland.”
Meanwhile body representing Scotland's community land owners says that major changes are required to the way the Crown Estate is run.
David Cameron, chairman of Community Land Scotland said it is an important first step but more detail on how it would be run is required.
He said: “I hope the important precedent that at least half of the marine revenues going to coastal communities can be built on in future.
“We will be giving evidence to the Scottish Affairs Committee in September on some of the broader Crown Estate issues issues which we would like to see addressed."