A CONSULATION on proposed changes to seven of Scotland’s eight parliamentary regions has opened.
Boundaries Scotland is currently undertaking its first review of Holyrood constituencies since 2011, with any changes due to be in force by the 2026 election, provided they are given the approval of ministers.
On Thursday, the agency published its provisional proposals for the regions, from each of which seven MSPs are elected.
Under the new proposals, the Mid Scotland and Fife region remains unchanged.
Central Scotland will now take in the Almond Valley and Linlithgow constituencies, as well as Whitburn, which now forms part of the Airdrie seat, and loses the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse constituency.
Under the proposals, the Hamilton seat will instead move to the South Scotland region, which loses Stewarton in Ayrshire and the newly-formed East Lothian Coast and Lammermuirs constituency.
Stewarton, part of the Cunninghame South seat, will move into the West Scotland region under the plans, which will lose Renfrew, Erskine and Bishopton to the Glasgow region.
The Lothian region, meanwhile, would expand to include the East Lothian Coast and Lammermuirs seat.
Both the Highlands and Islands and North East Scotland regions will see small changes to follow a new constituency boundary at Arradoul, Moray.
The consultation on the changes will run from September 26 to October 26.
Professor Ailsa Henderson (above), the chair of Boundaries Scotland, said: “The consultation covers our provisional proposals for regions.
“These boundaries are drawn by their own rules and we have tried to minimise change as much as possible while acknowledging the necessary rebalancing to reflect movements of the electorate across Scotland.
“Although some change is necessary to achieve regional electoral parity, we have recognised the special geographical considerations that apply in the Highlands and Islands.
“We look forward to receiving submissions to the consultation and encourage the public to share their views.
“All responses will be considered and, as the constituency consultations demonstrate, they lead to important improvements.
“Submissions are particularly valuable when they offer alternatives that meet the rules as set out in the legislation.”
Elsewhere, further changes have been proposed to local constituencies, which are already in a more advanced phase of review.
New names and boundaries have been proposed for a few seats compared to previous proposals from earlier this year. These are:
- Erskine;
- Renfrew and Cardonald;
- Glasgow Southside;
- Linlithgow;
- Rutherglen and Cambuslang.
Suggested changes to the current Falkirk East and Falkirk West seats have been scrapped.
The following 14 seats have seen some boundary changes:
- Airdrie
- Cumbernauld and Kilsyth
- Edinburgh Central
- Edinburgh Southern
- Edinburgh South Western
- Edinburgh Northern
- Edinburgh North Westen
- Glasgow Central
- Inverness and Nairn
- Paisley
- Renfrewshire West
- Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch
- Uddingston and Bellshill
- Eastwood, which returns to its existing boundaries
Nine seats have seen a name change from the most recent proposals:
- Aberdeen Deeside and North Kincardine
- Almond Valley
- East Lothian Coast and Lammermuirs
- Edinburgh North Eastern and Leith
- Glasgow Anniesland
- Glasgow Baillieston and Shettleston
- Glasgow Cathcart and Pollock
- Glasgow Easterhouse and Springburn
- Glasgow Kelvin and Maryhill
