Janet Finch-Saunders MS, Shadow Minister for Climate Change, has described calls for the devolution of the Crown Estate as “not in the best interest of Wales.”
The Crown Estate manages marine and land assets in Wales. The areas of responsibility include:
- The seabed out to 12 nautical miles.
- The rights to the resources on the continental shelf, such as natural resources and offshore energy.
- Management of around 65 per cent of the Welsh foreshore and riverbed, which includes a number of ports, such as Milford Haven and various marinas.
- Ownership of over 50,000 acres of Welsh uplands and common land.
- Management of the rights to deposits of gold and silver.
Responding to the calls by Plaid Cymru for the Crown Estate to be devolved, Welsh Conservative Shadow for Climate Change, Janet Finch-Saunders MS said:
“One of the principal reasons Plaid Cymru have given for wanting the devolution of the Crown Estate is because there is now so much potential, particularly with floating offshore wind, for us in Wales.
“What Plaid Cymru fail to acknowledge is that thanks to the Crown Estate the UK is the second most successful windfarm market in the world. Let us not forget that Scotland gained devolution of land from the Crown Estate and are expected to lose £60bn due to poor business and financial management of a wind farm built on the land.
“Wales is on the cusp of being global leaders in the sector, so it would be foolish to put that at risk by causing uncertainty through devolution.
“The Welsh Government should continue to work with the Crown Estate. Devolution of responsibilities that are being managed extremely well is not in the best interest of Wales. In fact, devolution would fragment the market and delay the further development of key projects.
“If it ain't broke, don't fix it!”
ENDS
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Mae Janet Finch-Saunders AS, Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd yr Wrthblaid, wedi pwysleisio na fyddai ildio i’r galwadau i ddatganoli Ystad y Goron "er budd pennaf Cymru".
Mae Ystad y Goron yn rheoli asedau ar y môr ac ar y tir yng Nghymru. Mae'r meysydd cyfrifoldeb yn cynnwys:
- Gwely'r môr allan hyd at 12 môr-filltir.
- Yr hawliau i'r adnoddau ar y silff gyfandirol, megis adnoddau naturiol ac ynni ar y môr.
- Rheoli tua 65 y cant o flaendraethau a gwely afonydd yng Nghymru, sy'n cynnwys nifer o borthladdoedd, megis Aberdaugleddau a sawl marina.
- Perchnogaeth dros 50,000 erw o ucheldir a thir comin Cymru.
- Rheoli'r hawliau i ddyddodion o aur ac arian.
Wrth ymateb i alwadau Plaid Cymru i ddatganoli Ystad y Goron, dywedodd Janet Finch-Saunders AS, Gweinidog Newid Hinsawdd yr Wrthblaid y Ceidwadwyr Cymreig:
"Un o'r prif resymau y mae Plaid Cymru wedi ei roi dros ddatganoli Ystad y Goron yw bod cymaint o botensial erbyn hyn i ni yng Nghymru, yn enwedig gyda gwynt arnofiol alltraeth.
"Yr hyn y methodd Plaid Cymru â'i gydnabod yw mai i Ystad y Goron y mae’r diolch am y ffaith mai’r DU yw’r ail farchnad ffermydd wynt fwyaf llwyddiannus yn y byd. Rhaid cofio hefyd fod yr Alban wedi datganoli tir o Ystad y Goron ac mae disgwyl iddynt golli £60 biliwn yn sgil busnes gwael a diffyg rheolaeth ariannol ffermydd wynt a godwyd ar y tir.
"Mae Cymru ar fin bod yn arweinydd byd-eang yn y sector, felly byddai'n hurt peryglu hynny trwy achosi ansicrwydd yn sgil datganoli.
"Dylai Llywodraeth Cymru barhau i weithio gydag Ystad y Goron. Dyw datganoli cyfrifoldebau sy'n cael eu rheoli'n arbennig o dda ddim er budd pennaf Cymru. Mewn gwirionedd, byddai datganoli yn rhannu’r farchnad ac yn peri oedi i ddatblygiad pellach prosiectau allweddol.
"Does dim diben newid rhywbeth sy’n gweithio cystal!”
DIWEDD
Nodyn i olygyddion: Ceir dolen i'r erthygl yma.
