Oral Answers to Questions

Allan Dorans Excerpts

Wednesday 9th February 2022 Commons Chamber

[Joanna Cherry (Edinburgh South West) (SNP)]

5. If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of devolving control of the Crown Estate in Wales to the Welsh Government.

[Allan Dorans (Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock) (SNP)]

6. If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of devolving control of the Crown Estate in Wales to the Welsh Government.

--- Later in debate ---

[Simon Hart]

I have spoken on this subject recently to port authorities, investors, councils, employees and, most importantly, the public. Not a single person—not one—has suggested to me that the future of floating offshore or, indeed, any other renewables will benefit from the devolution of the Crown Estate. This is an international opportunity for Wales. The supply chain benefits are huge and, actually, the Scottish National party’s ambitions are far too modest in this respect.

[Allan Dorans]

The recent devolution of the Crown Estate seabed is predicted to enable Scotland’s offshore wind farms to reliably power around 30 million homes across the United Kingdom. Has the Secretary of State assessed how many millions of homes could be powered by Welsh offshore generation?

[Simon Hart]

I think I caught the majority of the hon. Gentleman’s question. Yes, we have undertaken significant analysis of the potential, but the potential is massively enhanced by this being a UK-wide—an international—approach. It is not enhanced—indeed, it is jeopardised—by constant reference to devolution of the Crown Estate, which seems to be almost off-putting to future investors in this particular sector.