Prospective

Prospective

1Power of Crown Estate Commissioners to borrow etc

(1)The Crown Estate Act 1961 is amended as follows.

(2)In section 1 (general provision about Crown Estate Commissioners), after subsection (4) insert—

“(4A)The powers exercisable by the Commissioners in the discharge of their functions under this Act include powers to do anything which is calculated to facilitate, or is conducive or incidental to, the discharge of those functions.”

(3)In section 3 (management powers etc)—

(a)omit subsection (4), and

(b)in subsection (5), for the words from “, on security” to the end substitute “in accordance with section 3A, or otherwise with the consent of the Treasury.”

(4)After that section insert—

“3APower of the Commissioners to borrow etc_I1

(1)The Treasury may—

(a)arrange for loans to be issued to the Commissioners out of the National Loans Fund;

(b)provide financial assistance (including by way of loan) to the Commissioners out of money provided by Parliament.

(2)In the case of a loan issued under subsection (1)(a)—

(a)the Treasury may determine the rate of interest on the loan (and, accordingly, section 5 of the National Loans Act 1968 applies), and

(b)the Treasury must pay any sums received in respect of the loan into the National Loans Fund.”

2Number of Crown Estate Commissioners and their salaries and expenses

(1)Schedule 1 to the Crown Estate Act 1961 (constitution etc of Crown Estate Commissioners) is amended as follows.

(2)In paragraph 1—

(a)in sub-paragraph (1), for “eight” substitute “12”;

(b)in sub-paragraph (3), omit “, and the second Crown Estate Commissioner, if any, deputy chairman”.

(3)For paragraph 5 substitute—

“5_I2The salaries and expenses of the Commissioners, including the remuneration of persons appointed by them under paragraph 4(1), are to be paid out of the income of the Crown Estate.”

3Sustainable development_I3

In section 1 of the Crown Estate Act 1961 (general provision about the Crown Estate Commissioners), after subsection (3) insert—

“(3A)The Commissioners must keep under review the impact of their activities on the achievement of sustainable development in the United Kingdom.”

4Annual reports_I4

In section 2 of the Crown Estate Act 1961 (reports and accounts), after subsection (1) insert—

“(1A)The annual report for a year in which a partnership between the Commissioners and Great British Energy is in operation must include a report on—

(a)the activities of the Commissioners during the year under that partnership, and

(b)any effects or benefits experienced during the year which were the result of activities of the Commissioners under that partnership.”

5Territorial seabed

After section 3A of the Crown Estate Act 1961 (inserted by section 1 of this Act) insert—

“3BRestriction on permanently disposing of interest in seabed etc_I5

(1)The Commissioners may not without the consent of the Treasury permanently dispose of—

(a)any part of the territorial seabed, or

(b)any interest, right or privilege over or in relation to the territorial seabed,

which forms part of the Crown Estate.

(2)Accordingly, without that consent, any purported disposal of a kind mentioned in subsection (1) is void.

(3)In subsection (1), “territorial seabed” means the seabed and subsoil within the seaward limits of the United Kingdom territorial waters.”

6Commissioners with special responsibility_I6

(1)Paragraph 1 of Schedule 1 to the Crown Estate Act 1961 (constitution etc), is amended as follows.

(2)Before sub-paragraph (4) insert—

“(3B)The commissioners appointed under this paragraph must include—

(a)a commissioner responsible for giving advice about England,

(b)a commissioner responsible for giving advice about Wales, and

(c)a commissioner responsible for giving advice about Northern Ireland.

(3C)References in sub-paragraph (3B) to “giving advice about” a part of the United Kingdom are to the giving of advice to the Commissioners about conditions in that part so far as relating to their functions in relation to land there.

(3D)A commissioner’s responsibility for giving advice under sub-paragraph (3B) is additional to the other responsibilities of a commissioner.”

(3)Before sub-paragraph (5) insert—

“(4B)No recommendation may be made to His Majesty for the appointment of a person as a commissioner under sub-paragraph (3B)(b) or (c) unless—

(a)the Welsh Ministers have been consulted about the appointment, in the case of an appointment under sub-paragraph (3B)(b), or

(b)the Executive Office in Northern Ireland has been consulted about the appointment, in the case of an appointment under sub-paragraph (3B)(c).”

7Extent, commencement and short title_I7

(1)This Act extends to England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

(2)This Act comes into force at the end of the period of two months beginning with the day on which it is passed.

(3)This Act may be cited as the Crown Estate Act 2025.