HL Deb 01 July 2004 vol 663 cc44-5WA

Lord Monson asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many electors on average there will be per parliamentary constituency in:

  1. England
  2. Wales
  3. Scotland; and
  4. Northern Ireland
after the number of Scottish seats at Westminster has been reduced from 72 to 59. [HL3374]

The Minister of State, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (Lord Rooker): The average number of electors in a constituency after the reviews currently being undertaken by the Parliamentary Boundary Commissions are implemented is as follows:

Wales: approximately 55,000 electors per constituency

Northern Ireland: approximately 60,000 electors per constituency

England and Scotland: approximately 70,000 electors per constituency

The Boundary Commissions for England and Northern Ireland are required to submit their final reports in April and June 2007 respectively and the Boundary Commissions for Scotland and Wales in December 2006. It is a matter for the commissions, within these timescales, when they provide their final reports.