Letter: Feudal powers

In HIS speech to the SNP conference, Alex Salmond pushed for the responsibilities and powers of the Crown Estate to be transferred to the control of the Scottish Government (your report, 18 October).

Like a robber baron of old, the Crown Estate controls half of Scotland's sovereign territory and collects rents from those using the land. It also owns and manages around half the foreshore and almost all of the seabed out to the 12 nautical mile territorial limit.

Money from renewable wind, wave and tidal licences goes to its elegant offices in Burlington Place, London, and then the Treasury just along the road. It is not earmarked to develop the industry, or benefit the Scottish people by easing the impact of public spending cuts.

It has been estimated that around 100 million raised by the Crown Estate has been posted to the UK Treasury since devolution, bypassing Scotland

It is unacceptable that the only public body that can earn income from offshore wind, wave and tidal power generation is the unelected guardian of the Crown's rights and assets, which passes its revenues on to the Treasury.

When Alex Salmond said that Scotland could become the Saudi Arabia of renewable energy, he didn't mean we should emulate that country's feudal system.

Alex Orr

Leamington Terrace

Edinburgh