Boundary Commission Publishes Final Review

Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland Publishes Final Recommendations Report of the 2023 Review of Parliamentary Constituencies

The Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland (BCNI) has today published its Final Recommendations for Parliamentary constituencies in Northern Ireland.

Taking into account representations received throughout the 2023 Boundary Review process, the Commission has considered what final recommendations to make for Parliamentary constituencies in Northern Ireland.

Overall, Downpatrick will now be at the north end of the South Down constituency with part of the Quoile ward going to Strangford parliamentary constituency along with Killyleagh.

The boundary change between South Down and Strangford will also see Crossgar, Derryboye, Dumaness, Ballynahinch and Killinchy subsumed into Strangford.

(check pages 107, 111 and 112 in the Report for key details of the wards changing in Down.)

In line with the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986 (as amended), the Commission’s Final Recommendations Report was submitted to the Speaker of the House of Commons on 27th June 2023.

The Speaker has laid the Final Recommendations Reports of all four UK Boundary Commissions before Parliament and the Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland has now published its Report on its website.

BCNI Deputy Chairman Mr Justice Michael Humphreys said: “I am pleased to announce the publication of the Commission’s Final Recommendations Report today.

“The Commission is grateful to all those individuals and organisations who made representations to us, both in writing and at the public hearings, during the extensive 2023 Boundary Review consultation process.”

No later than four months from the first date on which all four reports have been laid, the Government must submit a draft of an Order in Council giving effect to the recommendations in the reports.

The Final Recommendations Report and accompanying maps are available on the Commission’s website at:

www.boundarycommission.org.uk/2023-review-parliamentary-constituencies

• The Boundary Commission for Northern Ireland is an independent and impartial public body. It is responsible for reviewing UK Parliamentary constituency boundaries in Northern Ireland on the basis of the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986, as amended.

• The Act required the Commission to hold three periods of public consultation during the course of the 2023 Review. The initial consultation was launched on 20th October 2021 and closed on 15th December 2021. The secondary consultation began on 9th February 2022 and closed on 23^rdxa0March 2022. The third consultation, including the revised proposals, began on 17^th November 2022 and closed on 15^th December 2022. The representations received at each of these consultation stages are published on the Commission’s website.

• The Final Recommendations are available to view on the Commission’s website at: www.boundarycommission.org.uk/2023-review-parliamentary-constituencies. An interactive map showing the recommended constituencies is also provided via the Commission’s website. For any further assistance in accessing these materials, members of the public can contact the Commission’s office on 028 9052 7821.