James Wild MP has tabled a series of amendments and new clauses to the Crown Estate Bill, seeking to ensure greater scrutiny, accountability, and transparency as the Crown Estate expands its borrowing powers and modernises its operations.
In his speech, James outlined the importance of maintaining oversight on the Crown Estate's activities, including limiting borrowing levels to a net debt-to-asset ratio of no more than 25%, which he believes is essential to protecting the long-term sustainability of the estate. He also called for Treasury approval for any disposals of 10% or more of the estate's total assets and for any partnership agreement with GB Energy to be laid before Parliament to ensure full transparency.
James also raised concerns about the lack of clarity surrounding the new partnership with GB Energy, calling for greater openness on the agreement’s details to ensure it serves the public interest rather than political agendas.
His proposed amendments aim to ensure that, as the Crown Estate expands, it does so with adequate parliamentary oversight to safeguard taxpayer funds and deliver the maximum possible value to the nation.
