2018 Parliamentary Boundary Review

2018 Parliamentary Boundary Review

Initial proposals for new constituencies published

Today (13 September) the independent Boundary Commission for England (BCE) has published its initial proposals for new Parliamentary constituencies. The publication marks the start of 12 weeks of consultation, during which the Commission needs to hear from you to help shape the proposed new constituency boundaries.

Following a decision by Parliament to reduce the number of constituencies in the UK to 600 from 650, and to ensure that the number of electors in each constituency is more equal, the BCE has been asked to make independent recommendations about where the boundaries of English constituencies should be. The BCE must report to Parliament in 2018 and, if agreed by Parliament, the new constituencies will be in use at the next scheduled general election in 2020.

Publication of the initial proposals is the first time people get to see what the map of new constituencies might look like. Maps and details of how the proposals will affect Bury residents are available to view in the reception of the Town Hall, Knowsley Street.

It is easier than ever to get involved, by using the BCE’s website at www.bce2018.org.ukor by coming along to a public hearing in Manchester on 11 and 12 October, where people are invited to give their views to an assistant commissioner. People can comment on anything from where the proposed new boundary lines are, to the names of the constituencies. The initial consultation closes on 5 December 2016. There will also be a further two rounds of consultation in 2017 and following the conclusion of all three consultation periods, the BCE will look at all the evidence received and make final recommendations to Parliament in September 2018.

Notes to editors

More information is available at www.bce2018.org.uk

1. The Boundary Commission for England is an independent and impartial advisory body, constituted under the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986. It is responsible for conducting reviews of English parliamentary boundaries and making recommendations to Parliament. The reviews for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are the responsibility of separate Commissions in those parts of the United Kingdom.

1. The statutory framework for how a review of constituencies must be conducted was significantly altered by Part 2 of the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Act 2011. That Act introduced a mandatory reduction in constituencies (from 650 to 600 for the UK as a whole) and a statutory electorate range that every constituency (save four island exceptions) must adhere to.

1. The Act also requires the Commission to base this review on electorate data from December 2015. The Commission has no power to take account of revisions to the electoral registers since that date. At December 2015, England’s total electorate was 37,399,942. It was therefore entitled to 501 constituencies for this review, a reduction of 32 from the current total.

1. The rules in the Act state that every constituency must be within 5% of the electoral quota (the target average number of electors, which, for this review, is 74,769), meaning constituencies must have no fewer than 71,031 and no more than 78,507 electors. The two constituencies allocated to the Isle of Wight are exempt from this requirement.

1. The consultation on the initial proposals runs until 5 December 2016. There will be two further rounds of consultation in 2017/2018, and the Commission must report to Parliament in September 2018.

1. For general enquiries contact 020 7276 1102 or email information@boundarycommissionengland.gov.uk

1. For media enquires contact the BCE’s press office on 07834 174632 or email press@boundarycommissionengland.gov.uk