Tuesday 20 March 2012

The Crown Estate's control ...

... of 50% of Scotland's coast and almost all the seabed should be devolved to local authorities, MPs have said.
What is The Crown Estate?  It is a diverse UK property business, governed by an Act of Parliament, with all profits going directly to the Treasury.

The Scottish Affairs Committee said the UK government should commit to having the Crown Estate's marine responsibilities and rights related to Scotland devolved to the Scottish government, on condition the powers were further devolved to local level.

The coast and seabed [and the other assets] around Britain are nothing more than a revenue stream for our government at Westminster ...
For the year ending 31 March 2011 we [the Crown Estate] delivered to the Treasury £230.9 million. For the first time our total property value reached more than £7 billion, our total capital value amounting to £7.3 billion.
So what is this committee of Scottish Affairs doing ...

... muddying the already muddy waters of Alex Salmond's wish to float Scotland free of Britain, it's all bullshit of course, if this group of MP's had the wit they were born with there is no way they would wish to transfer powers of the coast down to local authorities, thus dissipating the bargaining powers that comes with holding all the cards to ones chest.  If they are serious the whole Scottish enterprise should be transferred north of the border, its revenue deducted from the Scottish grant from Westminster, and Salmond and Co told to get on with it.

This is little more than politicians who oppose Salmond's agenda creating indicators of what might be on the table if the Scots folk reject independence ..... but adding a caveat to appeal to the voters directly in the knowledge the gift is only plated with glittering gold, not the solid gold Salmond covets.


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