Mark Drakeford says the Crown Estate 'should be devolved to Wales'

Wales' finance minister has reiterated that he believes control of the Crown Estate should be devolved to Wales in a week his party was criticised for not doing enough to pressure its London colleagues on the issue. Plaid Cymru criticised Eluned Morgan's Welsh Government for not doing enough to pressure Keir Starmer's administration over the issue, which the First Minister denied.

The Crown Estate manages the seabed, which is vital for potentially lucrative offshore wind developments. But profits from leasing the seabed are paid to the UK Treasury, which hands a portion to the monarchy. In Scotland the Crown Estate is devolved meaning net revenues are allocated locally.

The Welsh Government said it wants to see the Crown Estate devolved with both Mrs Morgan and her finance secretary Mark Drakeford having long called for it. In First Minister's Questions Plaid Cymru produced a question it had written to the UK Government asking for an update on negotiations between the two administrations.

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Darren Jones, the UJK Government Treasury spokesman, responded to their question from Ynys Mon MP Llinos Medi: "The UK Government has had no discussions with the Welsh Government on devolving the Crown Estate. The Crown Estate has played a significant role in attracting international investment into Wales to support the UK's net zero target and will continue to do so through future leasing rounds for offshore wind developments including floating wind projects in the Celtic Sea.

"They work closely with the Welsh Government and Natural Resources Wales in support of shared priorities ensuring that these resources are sustainably managed for the long term. Introducing a new entity would fragment the market, complicate existing processes, and likely delay further development offshore, undermining investment in Welsh waters." For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here.

In First Minister's Questions that was put to the First Minister who denied there were no discussions under way. "I can assure you that they are taking place. Perhaps Darren Jones hasn't been involved in them but I can assure you that other ministers have been involved in them. The finance decretary has had discussions very recently. I've mentioned this and brought it up with the chancellor and I know that it's part of the Deputy First Minister's constitutional discussions as well. Just because Darren Jones doesn't know about it it doesn't mean that there aren't other people in the government who are involved and engaged in this," she said.

Pliad leader Rhun ap Iorwerth replied saying: "Mentioning things and bringing things up? That's not discussing with the UK Government."

Speaking to the For Wales, See Wales podcast, Mr Drakeford said: "I think the Crown Estate should be devolved to Wales, as it is in Scotland, and that would give us a better opportunity in Wales to take advantage of our natural resources in an era where renewable energy is the future of the globe. Wales is so well-placed in that yet we lack control over one of the really big things that would allow you to make the most of that."