Comments on proposed constituency boundaries published

Comments received during the Boundary Commission for Scotland's consultation on initial proposals for UK Parliament constituencies have been published for a four-week period of public scrutiny and further feedback.

A review, which is being conducted by the four UK Parliamentary Boundary Commissions, will result in the UK Parliament being elected from 600 constituencies
in place of the current 650. In Scotland there will be 53 constituencies in place of the current 59.

There are no plans to change the current Orkney and Shetland constituency for UK Parliamentary elections.

In addition to the consultation responses, the commission has also published the full transcripts from five public hearings that were held in November and December last year in Ayr, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness.

All the comments received during the initial public consultation are available – and further comments can be made until 27 March.

Isabel Drummond-Murray, Secretary to the Commission, said: "We are very grateful for the response to the consultation on the Commission's initial proposals, with around 1500 written submissions sent to us and further views presented at the five public hearings held last year.

“This secondary consultation period enables members of the public to consider the comments and alternative designs which we have received to date and to offer views on these. This will be a very useful process to help us understand the strengths and weaknesses of the different arguments that have been put to us."

After the secondary consultation period, the Commission will consider all the information that has been submitted, and expects to consult on any revised proposals for constituencies later this year. Final recommendations will then be submitted to the UK Government.