Constituency boundaries: the Sixth General Review in Wales

The Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011 made provision for the number of constituencies to be reduced to 600.

The four Parliamentary Boundary Commissions announced the commencement of the sixth general review of Parliamentary constituencies (also known as the 2013 review) on 4 March 2011. The Boundary Commission for Wales announced on the same day that Wales would have 30 constituencies, a reduction of 10. No constituencies are exempt from the new requirement for constituencies to be within 5% of the electoral quota.

The Boundary Commission for Wales published its initial proposals on 11 January 2012. Revised proposals were published on 24 October 2012.

Following the Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013 receiving Royal Assent on 31 January 2013, the date of the next boundary review has been postponed until 2018. The Boundary Commission for Wales has therefore ceased working on the 2013 Review.

This Note gives details of the 2013 review in Wales, its progress and the consultation process. It should be read in conjunction with Library Standard Note 6095, Initial proposals for new constituency boundaries: Wales which looks at the extent to which the proposed constituencies can be identified with existing seats and which existing constituencies will be most affected by the proposals.