Crown Estate Act 2025

2025 Chapter 7

An Act to amend the Crown Estate Act 1961.

Enacted [11th March 2025]

Be it enacted by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:—

^I11 Power of Crown Estate Commissioners to borrow etc¶

1 The Crown Estate Act 1961 is amended as follows.

Amends Crown Estate Act 1961 · 1 insertion

1 General provisions as to Crown Estate Commissioners

subsections (1) – (4) unchanged

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.

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

3 In section 3 (management powers etc)—

Amends Crown Estate Act 1961 · 1 deletion

3 Management powers etc

subsections (1) – (3) unchanged

4 The Commissioners shall not, without the consent of the Treasury, give any undertaking to any person having an interest in or right over land of the Crown Estate that the Commissioners will not exercise their powers under subsection (1) above in relation to that land.

subsections (5) – (8) unchanged

a omit subsection (4), and

Amends Crown Estate Act 1961 · 1 change

3 Management powers etc

subsections (1) – (4) unchanged

5 The powers exercisable by the Commissioners in the management of the Crown Estate shall include power to borrow money ~~, on security of land of the Crown Estate or of investments held by them, with the approval of the Treasury~~in accordance with section 3A, or otherwise with the consent of the Treasury.

subsections (6) – (8) unchanged

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.”

Amends Crown Estate Act 1961 · 1 insertion

3A Power of the Commissioners to borrow etc

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.

4 After that section insert—

^I32 Number 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—

Amends Crown Estate Act 1961 · 1 change

Schedule 1 — Constitution etc of Crown Estate Commissioners

Paragraph 1

sub-paragraph (1) (opening words) unchanged

1 There shall be such number of commissioners, not exceeding ~~eight~~12, as Her Majesty may from time to time determine.

sub-paragraphs (2) – (6) unchanged

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

Amends Crown Estate Act 1961 · 1 deletion

Schedule 1 — Constitution etc of Crown Estate Commissioners

Paragraph 1

sub-paragraphs (1) – (2) unchanged

3 The first Crown Estate Commissioner shall be chairman of the Commissioners~~, and the second Crown Estate Commissioner, if any, deputy chairman~~.

sub-paragraphs (4) – (6) unchanged

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

Amends Crown Estate Act 1961 · 1 change

Schedule 1 — Constitution etc of Crown Estate Commissioners

paragraphs 1 – 4 unchanged

5 ~~There shall be paid to each commissioner such salary as the Treasury may determine, and the expenses of the Commissioners shall be defrayed out of money provided by Parliament.~~The 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.

paragraph 6 unchanged

3 For paragraph 5 substitute—

^I43 Sustainable development¶

Amends Crown Estate Act 1961 · 1 insertion

1 General provisions as to Crown Estate Commissioners

subsections (1) – (3) unchanged

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

subsections (4) – (7) unchanged

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

^I54 Annual reports¶

Amends Crown Estate Act 1961 · 1 insertion

2 Reports and accounts

1 As soon as may be after the end of each financial year, the Commissioners shall make to Her Majesty a report on the performance of their functions in that year, and shall lay a copy of that report before each House of Parliament.

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.

subsections (2) – (7) unchanged

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

^I65 Territorial seabed¶

Amends Crown Estate Act 1961 · 1 insertion

3B Restriction on permanently disposing of interest in seabed etc

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.

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

^I76 Commissioners with special responsibility¶

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

Amends Crown Estate Act 1961 · 3 insertions

Schedule 1 — Constitution etc of Crown Estate Commissioners

Paragraph 1

sub-paragraphs (1) – (3) unchanged

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.

sub-paragraphs (4) – (6) unchanged

2 Before sub-paragraph (4) insert—

Amends Crown Estate Act 1961 · 1 insertion

Schedule 1 — Constitution etc of Crown Estate Commissioners

Paragraph 1

sub-paragraphs (1) – (4A) unchanged

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).

sub-paragraphs (5) – (6) unchanged

3 Before sub-paragraph (5) insert—

^I27 Extent, commencement and short title¶

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.

Footnotes

I1
S. 1 in force at 11.5.2025, see s. 7(2)
I2
S. 7 in force at 11.5.2025, see s. 7(2)
I3
S. 2 in force at 11.5.2025, see s. 7(2)
I4
S. 3 in force at 11.5.2025, see s. 7(2)
I5
S. 4 in force at 11.5.2025, see s. 7(2)
I6
S. 5 in force at 11.5.2025, see s. 7(2)
I7
S. 6 in force at 11.5.2025, see s. 7(2)