Wednesday, 7 April 2010

Scotland Rules the Waves

The Crown DOES NOT own Scotland's seabed, says Treasury Committee. So why is all the revenue heading south..to the Treasury?


CrownA report by the UK Treasury Select Committee, chaired by Michael Fallon MP, has given a real boost to land campaigners who want the Scottish parliament to control the seabed around our coasts. In evidence to the committee, the Crown Estate admitted it did not own the seabed. The committee's final report says the current system doesn't work in the public interest. I recently filed a post called Who Owns Scotland's Seabed picking up on Andy Wightman's point that future marine energy developments could generate considerable revenue. But under the current system that money goes straight to London, and all decisions about rentals etc are made by the Crown Estate whose offices are in Kensington.  In fact, there is no reason why it couldn't be administered in Scotland for the benefit of Scotland. Bizarre that the SNP in Holyrood hasn't made more of this. It's not often you get London saying Scotland should have more revenue raising powers!
The excellent local news website forargyll.com has been campaigning on this matter.  The Herald's Highland Correspondent, David Ross broke the news of the committee's report. However for some reason only the Sunday follow-up to his Saturday front page story comes up on the search engine.  

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4 comments:

  1. Anonymous8 April 2010 at 01:28

    Brilliant post on a brilliant blog.

    Scotland's assets for Scotlands greater good somuds like a plan to me, but I dout it will strike any chords at Westminster. I'm sure our FM will be on to it though.

    The Scottish press don't want to mention anything that might upset Labour.

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  2. kerdasi amaq9 April 2010 at 14:01

    heh heh can London afford to part with Scotland now?

    All that money London's borrowing; how much benefit are Wales and Scotland deriving from it? Very little I bet.

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  3. Anonymous9 April 2010 at 21:35

    tris.

    It seems that your FM follows the Scottish Press and doesn't wish to mention the paedophile ring that flourishes right under his nose.

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  4. Anonymous10 April 2010 at 15:31

    Anon...

    And that has qhat exactloy to do with this blog or this post?

    In any case I haven't a clue what you're talking about.

    I imagine there will be these things going on everywhere, Scotland, England, Burma... etc

    I haven't a clue why they would do it under the nose of the First Minister.... seems most unusual, not to say wierd....

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