Boundaries of NI constituencies may be redrawn

NORTHERN Ireland will retain its 18 parliamentary constituencies — but their boundaries could change.

It was confirmed yesterday that the number of constituencies across the UK will remain at 650.

There will be 543 in England in place of the current 533; 57 in Scotland instead of the current 59; while Wales will be the biggest loser — down from 40 to 32.

Although the number of constituencies in Northern Ireland will remain at 18, the boundaries of existing constituencies will have to be amended due to the rules set out in the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986.

A review by the Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland (BCNI) in 2018 had previously recommended reducing the number of parliamentary constituencies from 18 to 17, as part of a wider move to reduce UK MPS from 650 to 600.

However, t hi s was later quashed by the Court of Appeal, with senior judges identifying a legal failure by the body to properly consider all responses to a consultation process.

The commission’s findings were challenged by west Belfast man Patrick Lynch, with Sinn Fein also claiming it would see some constituencies left without nationalist representation.

In his ruling, Mr Justice McCloskey said: “Its (BCNI) decision-making process was vitiated by procedural unfairness, as the common law right of all consultees to have their views considered fully and conscientiously and on the basis on a level playing field was frustrated.”

It was later reported that review had cost £798,000.

Earlier proposals would have reduced the amount of MPS in Belfast to three, but the final recommendations from the BCNI in 2018 kept the existing four seats.

The BCNI, which is responsible for reviewing Northern Ireland’s parliamentary constituency boundaries, will put its final recommendations to the Speaker of the House of Commons by July 2023.

‘Any future proposed changes to electoral boundaries must be fair and transparent’

The commission has said the 2018 review was voided in its entirety when the Parliamentary Constituencies Amendment Act 2020 was enacted. The recommendation from the 2018 review will have no status for the 2023 review and the BCNI will not be taking any of them into account.

The BCNI will shortly begin its work on developing initial proposals. These will be published for public consultation in the latter part of 2021.

Sinn Fein MP Francie Molloy said yesterday: “Any future proposed changes to the electoral boundaries by the Boundary Commission must be fair and transparent.”