§ Mr. CarmichaelTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much income the Crown Estate has received from rents paid for(a) marinas and (b) piers in each year since 1997. [136459]
§ Ruth KellyThe figures for rents received for piers and marinas in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are in the table.
The information for Scotland is not readily available prior to the current financial year. This is because information held on foreshore lease arrangements in Scotland in previous years cannot readily identify income from piers and marinas. However, the estimated income for the current financial year in Scotland is £95,000 from piers and £60,000 from marinas, and this would be indicative of income in previous years.
800W
£ Piers Marinas 1997 9,375 574,960 1998 9,375 624,974 1999 9,375 714,896 2000 10,500 574,260 2001 10,500 738,504 2002 11,500 996,703 2003 12,500 1,242,219 Total (excluding Scotland) 73,125 5,466,516
§ Mr. CarmichaelTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue the Crown Estate has collected from charges levied on cables crossing its land in each year since 1997; and how much the Crown Estate has charged per kilometre of cable laid(a) on the seabed and (b) over ground in each year since 1997. [136460]
§ Ruth KellySince 1997 the information requested is as follows:Land based cables
Cables that cross land, or connect Scottish Islands to the UK mainland for domestic purposes, are covered by the British Telecom Master Agreement, which is ex pressed as a lump sum payment. This agreement is negotiated between BT and the Crown Estate and covers not only cables, but also poles, struts, stays, joint boxes, etc. that cross land.
Revenue (£ million) 1997 0.43 1998 0.58 1999 0.58 2000 0.65 2001 0.65 2002 1.05 2003 1.05 Seabed cables
The Crown Estate holds consultation with the United Kingdom Cable Protection Committee (UKCPC) in respect of telecommunication cable systems that either transit UK waters or land at some point on the UK coast. The agreement relates to international systems only. The agreement sets out fixed charges for single destination and self-healing loop systems, regardless of the length of cable involved.
Revenue (£ million) 1997 1.22 1998 1.63 1999 2.65 2000 3.54 2001 3.79 2002 4.98 2003 5.07
§ Mr. CarmichaelTo ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 27 October 2003,Official Report, column 38W, on Crown Estate income, how much income has been received by the Crown Estate from rents paid for cables which connect (a) Orkney, (b) Shetland and (c) other Scottish Islands to the UK mainland for each financial year since 1997; and what estimate the Government have made of the impact on UK businesses of charges levied by the Crown Estate for cables that use the seabed. [136496]
§ Ruth KellyRevenue paid to The Crown Estate for cables to Orkney, Shetland and other Scottish Islands from the UK mainland is calculated under the British Telecom Master Agreement. The revenue is not calculated for each specific piece of land that is crossed and therefore information for cables connecting individual Scottish Islands is not identifiable. I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave earlier today 801W regarding the revenue received by the Crown Estate from cables crossing either the seabed or land managed by the Crown Estate since 1997.
Rents charged by the Crown Estate for use of the seabed are establishedby professional valuers in negotiation with users, and where appropriate, involve consultation with the relevant industry or interest groups. The rents are set at levels appropriate to the market conditions and must not take advantage of any monopoly interest. The Crown Estate must comply with the requirements placed upon it by Parliament under The Crown Estate Act 1961, with regards to the maintenance of the Estate and the income, which it yields. The Crown Estate manages the estate according to sound commercial principles, and also understands and works with the industries that use its assets to ensure that high standards of management and stewardship are followed.