Second Review of Scottish Parliament Boundaries

Closed 18 Jun 2023

Opened 17 May 2023

Contact

Douglas Campbell

(Deputy Boundary Review Manager)

Scottish Boundary Commissions' Secretariat

0131 244 2001

enquiries@scottishboundaries.gov.uk

Published responses

View submitted responses where consent has been given to publish the response.

Overview

Boundaries Scotland is an independent, non-political body legally responsible for carrying out reviews of Scottish Parliament boundaries.

We began our Second Review of Scottish Parliament boundaries in September 2022 and consulted on our provisional proposals for constituencies from 17 May to 17 June 2023. We have now published all of those responses to the consultation that gave permission to do so.

Why is this happening?
The population of different areas changes over time, but it's important that each MSP is elected by roughly the same number of people. To keep things fair, the boundaries have to be moved from time to time to reflect these changes.

What might happen - and what won't
If the Review recommends changes in your area, your constituency may get bigger or smaller. You may even find you're voting in a new or different constituency, even though you haven't moved house. Remember, this is different from your council area, and it will not directly affect your council tax, schools or local services. Nor will it affect your UK Parliament constituency.

In our Provisional Proposals for Constituencies:

  • 21 constituencies are unchanged
  • one constituency retains its boundary but with a new name
  • 26 constituencies have minor changes to boundaries but retain their existing names
  • 25 constituencies have both new names and new boundaries.

Constituency Name Electorate Area (sq. km) Designation Changes from existing
Aberdeen Central 55,994 26 Burgh Unchanged
Aberdeen Donside 62,531 92 County Unchanged
Aberdeen South and North Kincardine 61,544 197 County Unchanged
Aberdeenshire East 60,667 1,278 County Boundary changed from existing. Name unchanged.
Aberdeenshire West 59,983 3,532 County Unchanged
Airdrie, Newmains and Shotts 66,243 223 County Boundary and name changed from existing.
Angus North and Mearns 55,006 1,427 County Unchanged
Angus South 58,622 1,319 County Unchanged
Argyll and Bute 55,737 7,096 County Boundary changed from existing. Name unchanged.
Ayr 62,566 49 Burgh Unchanged
Banff and Buchan Coast 61,992 1,076 County Boundary and name changed from existing.
Bathgate and Almond Valley 61,257 189 County Boundary and name changed from existing.
Bearsden, Milngavie and Clydebank North 58,415 68 Burgh Boundary and name changed from existing.
Bellshill and Coatbridge 63,361 43 Burgh Boundary and name changed from existing.
Caithness, Sutherland and Ross 56,532 12,792 County Unchanged
Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley 59,218 2,083 County Unchanged
Clackmannanshire and Dunblane 55,421 461 County Boundary changed from existing. Name unchanged.
Clyde Valley and Tweeddale 60,443 2,518 County Boundary and name changed from existing.
Cowdenbeath 59,195 153 County Boundary changed from existing. Name unchanged.
Cumbernauld and Chryston 62,578 90 County Boundary and name changed from existing.
Cunninghame North 56,604 777 County Unchanged
Cunninghame South 62,113 243 County Boundary changed from existing. Name unchanged.
Dumbarton and Helensburgh 57,666 222 County Boundary and name changed from existing.
Dumfriesshire 61,848 2,879 County Unchanged
Dundee City East 56,030 28 Burgh Unchanged
Dundee City West 56,705 35 Burgh Unchanged
Dunfermline 60,987 202 County Boundary changed from existing. Name unchanged.
East Kilbride 61,700 54 Burgh Boundary changed from existing. Name unchanged.
East Lothian 59,385 670 County Boundary changed from existing. Name unchanged.
Edinburgh Central 59,203 14 Burgh Boundary changed from existing. Name unchanged.
Edinburgh Eastern 64,870 29 Burgh Boundary changed from existing. Name unchanged.
Edinburgh Forth and Linlithgow 55,866 167 County Boundary and name changed from existing.
Edinburgh Northern and Leith 59,650 13 Burgh Boundary changed from existing. Name unchanged.
Edinburgh Pentlands 55,545 108 County Boundary changed from existing. Name unchanged.
Edinburgh Southern 60,377 21 Burgh Boundary changed from existing. Name unchanged.
Edinburgh Western 59,884 20 Burgh Boundary changed from existing. Name unchanged.
Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire  55,131 3,194 County Unchanged
Falkirk East 61,529 206 County Unchanged
Falkirk West 63,861 109 County Unchanged
Fife North East 56,669 774 County Name changed from existing. Boundary unchanged.
Galloway and West Dumfries 57,094 3,797 County Unchanged
Glasgow Anniesland 60,545 18 Burgh Boundary changed from existing. Name unchanged.
Glasgow Cardonald and Pollok 54,058 20 Burgh Boundary and name changed from existing.
Glasgow Central and Govan 61,924 21 Burgh Boundary and name changed from existing.
Glasgow Kelvin and Maryhill 64,836 21 Burgh Boundary and name changed from existing.
Glasgow Priesthill and Giffnock 63,822 29 Burgh Boundary and name changed from existing.
Glasgow Shettleston and Baillieston 65,738 29 Burgh Boundary and name changed from existing.
Glasgow Southside and Cathcart 58,859 18 Burgh Boundary and name changed from existing.
Glasgow Springburn and Provan 59,829 35 Burgh Boundary and name changed from existing.
Hamilton and Uddingston 54,496 51 Burgh Boundary and name changed from existing.
Inverclyde 60,794 174 County Boundary and name changed from existing.
Inverness and Nairn 69,113 1,314 County Boundary changed from existing. Name unchanged.
Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley 54,927 258 County Boundary changed from existing. Name unchanged.
Kirkcaldy 55,100 65 Burgh Boundary changed from existing. Name unchanged.
Kirkintilloch and Kilsyth 62,771 195 County Boundary and name changed from existing.
Larkhall and Clydesdale 57,386 668 County Boundary and name changed from existing.
Livingston 56,009 138 County Boundary and name changed from existing.
Mid Fife and Glenrothes 58,436 178 County Boundary changed from existing. Name unchanged.
Midlothian North and Musselburgh 55,122 51 Burgh Boundary changed from existing. Name unchanged.
Midlothian South 64,424 339 County Boundary and name changed from existing.
Moray 63,133 2,056 County Unchanged
Motherwell 62,652 58 Burgh Boundary and name changed from existing.
Na h-Eileanan an Iar 21,769 3,270 County Unchanged
Orkney Islands 17,696 1,087 County Unchanged
Paisley and Renfrew 63,856 37 Burgh Boundary and name changed from existing.
Perthshire North 59,944 3,979 County Boundary changed from existing. Name unchanged.
Perthshire South and Kinross-shire 60,095 1,442 County Boundary changed from existing. Name unchanged.
Renfrewshire South 61,966 267 County Boundary changed from existing. Name unchanged.
Renfrewshire West 61,690 126 County Boundary and name changed from existing.
Rutherglen 62,400 33 Burgh Boundary changed from existing. Name unchanged.
Shetland Islands 17,965 1,657 County Unchanged
Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch 63,573 12,367 County Boundary changed from existing. Name unchanged.
Stirling 55,613 1,958 County Boundary changed from existing. Name unchanged.

The review of constituencies will cover the 70 mainland constituencies. The constituencies of Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands are protected in legislation. The overall number of MSPs (129) is fixed in legislation and will not change as a result of this review.

The first stage of our review was the consultation on our provisional proposals for constituencies. We will be holding local inquiries in respect of that consultation in December 2023 and January 2024. For more information visit our website.

Later in 2024 we will publish and consult on revised proposals for constituencies and provisional proposals for regions. 

Why your views matter

Your views play a vital role in shaping constituency boundaries and provide important local knowledge to help us improve our proposals. 

What happens next

The consultation closed in June 2023. In December 2023 and January 2024 we will be holding local inquiries. Later in 2024 we will publish and consult on revised proposals for constituencies and provisional proposals for regions.