PLAID Cymru’s Westminster leader, Liz Saville Roberts, has criticised the Secretary of State for Wales, Simon Hart, of ‘belittling’ Wales when it comes to control over natural resources.

During a questioning session in the House of Commons, the Plaid Cymru MP referred to her presentation of the Crown Estate (Devolution to Wales) Bill to the House of Commons last week.

The bill would see the management of the Crown Estate devolved to Wales, as has been the case in Scotland since 2017.

During the session, Ms Saville Roberts said: “Last week I presented a bill to devolve the management of the Crown Estate and our natural resources in Wales, to Wales.

“Scotland gained these powers in 2017, and they’re now reaping the benefits of the green offshore wind revolution.

“I’m sure he’s aware that the value of the Crown Estate’s remaining sea bed assets - which include those in Wales - has more than doubled over the past year to more than four billion pounds.

“Does the Secretary of State for Wales agree with me that Wales deserves equal treatment with Scotland as regards control over our natural resources?”

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In his response, Mr Hart said he disagrees that “in order to achieve success in the renewables sector somehow we always have to go back to powers and further devolution.”

Speaking after the session, Ms Saville Roberts said: “Mr Hart had an opportunity to commit to the principle that the people of Wales should be able to reap the benefits of the green industrial revolution just as the people of Scotland are set to do. Instead, he chose to belittle Wales.

“Offshore wind is a historic opportunity for the Welsh economy – it could create thousands of green jobs, while contributing significantly to our efforts to tackle the climate crisis. The people of Wales should be able to direct how best to benefit from that economic opportunity – not Westminster.”

In the year to March 31, the value of the Crown Estate’s marine assets in England, Wales and Northern Ireland has more than doubled, rising from £2 billion to £4.1 billion.

The rise has been largely driven by an auction of seabed leases for offshore wind development in February 2021, which could raise £879 million per year, or £8.8 billion over the next ten years, for the Treasury.

The February auction included ‘Bidding Area 4’, which was made up of an area covering 8,500 square kilometres in northern Wales and the Irish Sea.

he Crown Estate pays its profits to the Treasury, which normally pays 25 per cent of this to Buckingham Palace in the form of a ‘sovereign grant’.

The Scottish Government is in line for a windfall of up to £860m from a forthcoming auction of Scottish seabed plots for windfarms.

Ms Saville Roberts’ Bill aims to allow the Welsh Government to keep revenues in Wales instead of returning profits to the Treasury and, in turn, the Royal Family.

The Bill had its First Reading in Parliament on June 21 and is due to have its Second Reading on October 29.

  • This article orginally appeared on our sister site The National.