No talks on Welsh Crown Estate powers - UK minister

Eluned Morgan has insisted she is lobbying the UK government to give Wales powers over the Crown Estate, after a UK minister suggested otherwise.

Owned by the monarch, and helping to fund the Royal Family, the Crown Estate owns more than £603m of land in Wales, including 65% of the seabed around the Welsh coastline.

It is Welsh government policy for the estate to be devolved like in Scotland, but UK Treasury minister Darren Jones said that no discussions have taken place.

The first minister told the Senedd she had "brought it up" with Chancellor Rachel Reeves, but Plaid Cymru said that was not the same thing as "discussing it with UK government".

In Scotland surplus money raised from the Crown Estate stays in the country, with the estate's assets managed by a body responsible to the Scottish government.

Chief Secretary to the Treasury Darren Jones told Plaid Ynys Môn MP Llinos Medi: "The UK government has had no discussions with the Welsh government on devolving the Crown Estate."

Seabed owned by the estate is being used to help build new windfarms.

Jones said setting up a "new entity" would complicate existing processes, warning it could delay offshore wind developments.

Referencing the written answer in the Senedd on Tuesday, Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth said: "Either she is not trying, is not trying hard enough, or her Labour Party colleagues are blocking it."

Morgan told him: "I can assure you they [the talks] are taking place. Perhaps Darren Jones has not been involved with them but I can assure you that other ministers have been involved with them.

"The finance secretary [Mark Drakeford] has had discussions very recently," she said. "I brought it up with the chancellor."

Ap Iorwerth said "bringing things up" is "not discussing with UK government".

After the exchange the Plaid Cymru leader said: "Having control over Wales' natural resources could mean thousands of new jobs and profits from renewable energy projects being reinvested in a way that benefits Welsh communities – as is the case in Scotland.

"The first minister is hiding behind the devolution settlement rather than standing up for Wales."

In the same first minister's questions, Welsh Conservative Senedd leader Darren Millar raised a report on corridor care. A Welsh nurses leader, Helen Whyley, said that being treated in corridors has become "the norm".

Millar asked if Morgan agreed with Ms Whyley that there was a "crisis" in Welsh hospitals.

Morgan said she was aware of the report.

"None of us are unware of the huge huge demand on the system, the aging population, the fact that many workers went back as a result of Brexit, the fact that we have had 14 years of austerity.

"All of those things contribute to the fact that it has been difficult to keep up with demand."

"Of course, there is more work to be done."

Millar went on to accuse Morgan of "refusing to acknowledge that there is a crisis in our NHS.

"Unless you acknowledge that there's a crisis in our NHS, we will never get to deal with that crisis, and fix the problems."

By Gareth Lewis, BBC Wales political editor

This is a taste of the sort of argument to expect between now and the next Senedd election.

Which party can offer the best deal for Wales?

Can the FM show that two Labour governments working together is better for Wales - as promised during the general election campaign?

Or will her opponents turn that promise against her and her government if they do not feel that it is being delivered?