Burnham Backs Deeper Devolution For Wales And Scotland
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has opened the door to deeper devolution across Wales and Scotland, including greater powers for regions and cities, while indicating that Wales's request for control over the Crown Estate will be considered.
Speaking during a visit to Port Talbot, Mr Burnham said Wales and Scotland could look at the model of regional devolution developing in England. He suggested that areas such as North Wales could work more closely with neighbouring regions in England to support economic growth and strengthen local decision making.
Mr Burnham said he was open to discussions with the Welsh Government about expanding devolved powers. He is due to bring together the first ministers of the UK's devolved nations at a National Economic Council meeting in October, where the issue of further devolution is expected to be among the matters discussed.
The Prime Minister was also questioned about calls from Wales for control over the Crown Estate to be devolved. The estate manages property and assets belonging to the Crown, including areas of seabed used for offshore wind developments, making its control an important issue for Wales's future economic and energy plans.
Scotland already has control over Crown Estate assets north of the border following legislation passed in 2016. Revenue generated from those assets and related activities goes directly to the Scottish Government, creating a model that Welsh politicians have argued should also apply in Wales.
The Welsh Government has called for Wales to receive similar powers over the Crown Estate. Plaid Cymru has made the issue a priority, while Welsh Labour also committed in its manifesto for the Senedd elections to making the case for greater Welsh control.
Asked whether he believed there was merit in transferring control of the Crown Estate to Wales, Mr Burnham stopped short of making a commitment. He said requests for additional powers from devolved governments would be considered through a proper process rather than being agreed immediately.
The Prime Minister drew on his previous experience as mayor of Greater Manchester when discussing the issue. He said devolved authorities should be able to make requests for additional powers, while recognising that those requests then needed to be examined carefully before decisions were made.
Mr Burnham also suggested that devolution could play a wider role in supporting economic growth across Wales. He highlighted the possibility of strengthening links between North Wales and the North West of England, while also pointing to potential connections between mid Wales and the West Midlands.
The comments came during a visit to Port Talbot, where Mr Burnham also signalled his support for the reindustrialisation of Wales. The Prime Minister said he wanted to demonstrate strong backing for efforts to develop the Welsh economy and support communities undergoing major industrial change.
Infrastructure was another major part of the visit, with Mr Burnham confirming that the Government would honour a previous commitment to invest £14 billion in upgrading railways across Wales. He argued that reliable and modern infrastructure would be essential if Wales is to achieve sustained economic growth.
The Prime Minister said economic growth becomes more difficult when the necessary infrastructure is not in place. He argued that investment in railways and other infrastructure would help create the conditions needed to support Wales's future economic development and improve connections between communities.
The proposed National Economic Council meeting in October is expected to provide an opportunity for discussions between the UK Government and the leaders of the devolved administrations. The meeting could therefore become an important forum for examining requests for additional powers and considering how economic responsibilities are distributed across the UK.
Mr Burnham's comments do not amount to a commitment to transfer Crown Estate powers to Wales, but they indicate that the request will be considered as part of wider discussions about devolution. The Welsh Government will now have an opportunity to make its case when the devolved administrations meet with the Prime Minister.
The debate over further devolution comes alongside wider efforts to support economic development across Wales. For North Wales in particular, the possibility of closer economic cooperation with the North West of England could form part of a broader approach to regional growth, infrastructure investment and the distribution of decision making.
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