Commentary on Sections and Schedules Detailed Comments on Part 1 The Assembly Section 2: Assembly constituencies and electoral regions
40.This section and Schedule 1 to the Act provide for the Assembly constituencies (for which Assembly constituency members are returned), and the Assembly electoral regions (for which Assembly regional members are returned).
41.Assembly constituencies have the same boundaries as the parliamentary constituencies for which Members of the UK Parliament are returned. Therefore, at the passing of this Act , there are 40 Assembly constituencies. If the parliamentary constituencies change (by Her Majesty making an Order in Council under the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986, following a report of the Electoral Commission), the Assembly constituencies will also change accordingly.
42.At the outset, the 5 electoral regions in Wales are: North Wales, Mid and West Wales, South Wales West, South Wales Central and South Wales East. The boundaries of these electoral regions are laid down by the Parliamentary Constituencies and Assembly Electoral Regions (Wales) Order 2006, which was made under the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986.
43.The boundaries of the electoral regions and the numbers of Assembly regional seats allocated to each region will be able to be altered by an Order in Council made by Her Majesty under the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986, following a report of the Electoral Commission into parliamentary constituencies. Schedule 1 to the Act makes detailed provision in relation to the procedures for proposals for such alterations.