Carmichael: Crown Estate assets should be devolved to island communities

Orkney and Shetland MP Alistair Carmichael has tabled an amendment to the Scotland Bill in the House of Commons, calling for all functions of the Crown Estate in Scotland to be transferred to local authorities in Orkney and the other Scottish Isles.

Mr Carmichael’s amendment is in line with the Smith Commission’s recommendations that the island communities should be given responsibility for the Crown Estate’s assets – rather than Holyrood.

Mr Carmichael said: “The Smith Commission recommended that Scotland’s island communities should be given responsibility for the Crown Estate’s significant economic assets. Those who live in the Northern Isles are in the best position to manage these resources which would have a substantial impact on the local economies.

“I want this to happen as quickly as possible. That is why I have tabled this amendment to be voted on in the House of Commons. In May, John Swinney dismissed Cosla’s suggestion that the local authorities should manage these assets, instead stating that a new organisation – the Crown Estate in Scotland – will be granted control. This was disappointing, but not surprising. The SNP are intent on centralising power in Edinburgh and shy away from any moves to devolve responsibility to the Scottish islands.

He said: “The purpose of my amendment is to ensure that the devolution of the Crown Estate to the island communities is guaranteed before the Crown Estate as a whole is devolved to the Scottish Parliament. We can all imagine how, once control is passed to the Scottish Government the need to deliver to the isles becomes less urgent.”