Constituency boundaries: the Sixth General Review in Scotland

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 Scotland announced on the same day that Scotland would have 52 constituencies, a reduction of 7. Two constituencies are preserved and exempt from the new requirement for constituencies to be within 5% of the electoral quota. These are the constituencies of Na h-Eileanan an Iar, and Orkney and Shetland.

The Boundary Commission for Scotland published its initial proposals on 13 October 2011 and revised proposals on 13 September 2012. However, 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 England has therefore ceased working on the 2013 Review.

This Note gives details of the 2013 review in Scotland, its progress and the consultation process. It should be read in conjunction with Library Standard Note 6098, Initial proposals for new constituency boundaries: Scotland 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.