The Senedd Cymru Constituency Regulations 2025
The Commission has submitted a final report dated 11 March 2025 to the Welsh Ministers, under paragraphs 2(2) and 8(1) of Schedule 2 to the 2024 Act, containing its determinations for the naming, composition and designation of the Senedd constituencies.
The Welsh Ministers, having laid the report before the Senedd on 11 March 2025 as required by paragraph 8(5) of Schedule 2 to the 2024 Act, make these Regulations to give effect to the Commission’s determinations in keeping with the powers given to them by paragraph 9(1), (5) and (6) of Schedule 2 to the 2024 Act.
Title and coming into force1.
(1)
The title of these Regulations is the Senedd Cymru Constituency Regulations 2025.
(2)
These Regulations come into force on 18 July 2025.
(3)
Despite the coming into force of these Regulations under regulation 1(2), they do not have effect in relation to a general election the poll for which is held on or before 6 April 2026.
(4)
In this regulation—
“general election” means an ordinary general election, or an extraordinary general election, held under Part 1 of the 2006 Act.
Interpretation2.
In these Regulations—
“Senedd” (“Senedd”) has the same meaning as in section 1(1) of the 2006 Act;
“Senedd constituencies” (“etholaethau’r Senedd”) means the constituencies defined in the table in the Schedule to these Regulations, which return a Senedd Member as specified in Part 1 of the 2006 Act.
Revocations3.
The following Orders are revoked—
(a)
(b)
Senedd Constituencies4.
(1)
Wales is divided into Senedd constituencies—
(a)
which are named in column 1 of the table in the Schedule,
(b)
which are designated as county or borough constituencies in that column, and
(c)
(2)
In this regulation—
Electoral Registers5.
SCHEDULEName, designation and composition of Senedd constituencies
Name of Senedd constituencies | UK parliamentary constituencies | |
|---|---|---|
Constituency 1 | Constituency 2 | |
Bangor Conwy Môn County Constituency | Bangor Aberconwy | Ynys Môn |
Clwyd County Constituency | Clwyd East | Clwyd North |
Fflint Wrecsam County Constituency | Alyn and Deeside | Wrexham |
Gwynedd Maldwyn County Constituency | Dwyfor Meirionnydd | Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr |
Ceredigion Penfro County Constituency | Ceredigion Preseli | Mid and South Pembrokeshire |
Sir Gaerfyrddin County Constituency | Caerfyrddin | Llanelli |
Gŵyr Abertawe County Constituency | Gower | Swansea West |
Brycheiniog Tawe Nedd County Constituency | Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe | Neath and Swansea East |
Afan Ogwr Rhondda County Constituency | Aberafan Maesteg | Rhondda and Ogmore |
Pontypridd Cynon Merthyr County Constituency | Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare | Pontypridd |
Blaenau Gwent Caerffili Rhymni County Constituency | Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney | Caerphilly |
Sir Fynwy Torfaen County Constituency | Monmouthshire | Torfaen |
Casnewydd Islwyn County Constituency | Newport East | Newport West and Islwyn |
Caerdydd Penarth County Constituency | Cardiff West | Cardiff South and Penarth |
Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf County Constituency | Cardiff North | Cardiff East |
Pen-y-bont Bro Morgannwg County Constituency | Bridgend | Vale of Glamorgan |
The final determinations of the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru (“the Commission”) in respect of electoral arrangements for Senedd constituencies were published on 11 March 2025. These Regulations give effect to those determinations, in accordance with the Welsh Ministers’ powers, which are set out in paragraph 9(1) of Schedule 2 to the 2024 Act.
The Commission’s report determines the 16 Senedd constituencies made up of specific pairings of UK parliamentary constituencies, in keeping with the Commission’s duties under paragraph 2 and 8 of Schedule 2 to the Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Act 2024 (“the 2024 Act”).
The Welsh Ministers laid the Commission’s report before the Senedd, in accordance with paragraph 8(5) of Schedule 2 to the 2024 Act on 11 March 2025.
Regulations made in accordance with the Welsh Ministers’ powers as set out in paragraph 9(1) of Schedule 2 to the 2024 Act will not affect the return of a Member to the Senedd until the dissolution of the Senedd in connection with the first general election to be held after 6 April 2026 by virtue of paragraph 9(8) of Schedule 2 to the 2024 Act.
Paragraph 9(7) of Schedule 2 to the 2024 Act requires these Regulations to be laid before the Senedd as soon as is reasonably practicable after the regulations are made.
Regulation 1 sets out the title and coming into force of these Regulations. The commencement provisions give effect to the requirements of paragraph 9(8) of Schedule 2 to the 2024 Act.
Regulation 2 contains interpretation provisions for these Regulations.
Regulation 3 revokes two Orders: the Parliamentary Constituencies and Assembly Electoral Regions (Wales) Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/1041) and The Parliamentary Constituencies and Assembly Electoral Regions (Wales) (Amendment) Order 2011 (S.I. 2011/2987). These revocations have the effect of abolishing the previous Senedd constituencies.
Regulation 4 sets out and describes the Senedd constituencies into which Wales is now divided.
Regulation 5 requires each electoral registration officer to re-arrange or adapt the register of electors as necessary to give effect to these Regulations.
The Schedule contains the names, designations and composition of the Senedd constituencies.
The Welsh Ministers’ Code of Practice on the carrying out of Regulatory Impact Assessments was considered in relation to these Regulations. As a result, it was not considered necessary to carry out a regulatory impact assessment as to the likely costs and benefits of complying with these Regulations.