Crown Estate Scotland: Who Gets the Rent?

Who owns Scotland's seabed, half the beach, and gold under ground, and who gets the rent?

The Crown, but not the King personally. Since 2017 rent comes to Scotland, but Westminster still controls rules.

WHAT IS THE CROWN ESTATE?

It is NOT King's private property. King's private property is Balmoral and Sandringham.

Crown Estate belongs to Sovereign in right of the Crown. That means Crown as institution, not person. King cannot sell it. Revenue does not belong to King.

Deal since George III 1760: King surrenders Crown Estate revenue to Treasury, Treasury pays Sovereign Grant.

FAQ from Crown Estate itself

The Crown Estate is not the private property of the King."

WHAT DOES CROWN ESTATE SCOTLAND OWN?

Devolved 1 April 2017 under Scotland Act 2016.

• Virtually all seabed out to 12 nautical miles • Rights to renewable energy, cables, pipelines on continental shelf • About half of Scotland's foreshore - 620 sq km, 5,800 moorings, ports • 35,565 hectares rural land - Glenlivet, Fochabers, Applegirth, Whitehill estates • Rights to naturally occurring gold and silver across most of Scotland • Salmon fishing rights • 750 aquaculture sites

If you want to build wind farm, lay cable, farm fish, moor boat, mine gold, you pay rent to Crown Estate Scotland.

WHO GETS THE RENT NOW?

Before 2017 rent from Scotland went to UK Treasury in London.

Since 1 April 2017 rent goes to Scottish Government.

Normal rent without ScotWind:

ScotWind offshore wind 2022: 17 projects offered seabed, just under £700 million option fees paid by energy companies to Scottish Government.

Coastal councils get share: £7.2m 2017-18, £9.6m 2018-19 to coastal communities.

Catch: When devolved UK deducted same amount from Scottish block grant, so not all extra.

WHO STILL CONTROLS IT?

Management devolved, but Crown is reserved matter under Scotland Act 1998 Schedule 5. Westminster can change Crown Estate Act 1961. Scottish Parliament cannot abolish.

MYTHS

MYTH 1: King owns Scotland's seabed and gets rich from wind farms.

FALSE. Not private, belongs to Crown in right of Crown, revenue surrendered. Since 2017 Scottish Government gets it.

MYTH 2: Devolution gave full control.

HALF TRUE. Management devolved, ownership still Crown. Cannot sell seabed, only lease.

MYTH 3: ScotWind £700m proves rich.

TRUE money real but one-off option fee.

Real long term rent over 30-50 years still to come.

MYTH 4: Crown Estate Scotland is private company.

FALSE. Public corporation owned by Scottish Ministers.

MYTH 5: Beaches are public no one owns them.

FALSE. About half owned by Crown Estate Scotland, other half private estates and councils. You can walk but commercial use needs lease and rent.