Parliamentary constituencies

Constituency breakdown across the UK

There are currently:

• 533 constituencies in England
• 59 in Scotland
• 40 in Wales, and
• 18 in Northern Ireland.

Electorate

The typical size of constituencies differs between parts of the UK. The Office for National Statistics gives the median total parliamentary electorate across constituencies of about 72,400 in England, 69,000 in Scotland, 66,800 in Northern Ireland and 56,800 in Wales.

• Office for National Statistics: Statistical Bulletin: UK Electoral Statistics, 2013 (external site)

Largest and smallest constituencies

The largest constituency is Ross, Skye and Lochaber, measuring approximately 12,000 square kilometres.

The smallest constituency is Islington North, measuring 7.35 square kilometres.

Constituency boundaries

Locating your constituency

Services that enable you to map postcodes against constituency areas are available from the Office for National Statistics and the Ordnance Survey.

• Office for National Statistics postcode directories
• Constituency map from the Ordnance Survey

Boundary reviews

Constituency boundaries are kept under review by four permanent Boundary Commissions:

• Boundary Commission for England
• Boundary Commission for Scotland
• Boundary Commission for Wales
• Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland

The Commissions make reports at regular intervals, usually every 5 years, recommending any necessary changes due to population change or changes in local government boundaries.

Any changes must be agreed by both Houses of Parliament.

About your constituency

The Commons Library have produced a range of tools which allow you to look at statistics on UK parliamentary constituencies. You will be able to compare constituencies and examine how they have changed over time.

• Statistics and data on UK parliamentary constituencies

Commons Library briefings

The House of Commons Library produces briefing papers to inform MPs and their staff of key issues. The papers contain factual information and a range of opinions on each subject, and aim to be politically impartial.

The Library has published papers on the Fifth and Sixth Periodical Reviews of Parliamentary Constituency Boundaries.

• Parliamentary constituency boundaries: the Fifth Periodical Review: House of Commons Library Paper
• Constituency boundaries: the Sixth General Review: House of Commons Library Paper
• The Sixth General Review of constituency boundaries: public consultations: House of Commons Library Paper

Select Committee Inquiry

MPs on the Political and Constitutional Reform Select Committee have carried out an inquiry on the redrawing of parliamentary constituency boundaries.

Find out more about the inquiry:

• Political and Constitutional Reform Select Committee inquiry: What next on the redrawing of Parliamentary boundaries?

Which constituency?

You can find out what constituency you are in, and the Member of Parliament who represents that constituency, by using the Find your MP service.

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