Number of MPs By Country
Under the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland, the Protectorate regime was established by the Instrument of Government which included a redistribution of parliamentary seats in England and Wales. It also authorised the Lord Protector and Council of State to provide for the parliamentary representation of Scotland and Ireland. This arrangement only lasted for a few years and the three components of the Commonwealth reverted to having individual parliaments.
The total number of MPs representing constituencies in different parts of the United Kingdom has been varied by Act of Parliament several times since the Acts of Union 1707. In the tables below the occasions on which the number has been changed, and the number of MPs following the change is given in each case. The dates given are those when the change took effect. More details of minor changes in the 1821-1885 period are set out in the section above.
Monmouthshire is treated as part of Wales throughout this section, although it was often considered to be an English county before the twentieth century. The number of Members of Parliament representing the county (including borough constituencies within it) was (1654-1885) three, (1885-1918) four and (1918-1983) six.
Country | 1654 | 1659a | 1659b | 1673 | 1675 | 1678 | 1707 | 1801 | 1821 | 1826 | 1832 | 1844 | 1852 | 1861 | 1865 | 1868 | 1870 | 1885c | 1885d | 1918 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
England | 372 | 480 | 480 | 482 | 484 | 486 | 486 | 486 | 484 | 486 | 468 | 466 | 464 | 466 | 468 | 460 | 456 | 452 | 461 | 492 |
Wales | 28 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 27 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 32 | 33 | 33 | 33 | 34 | 36 |
Scotland | 30 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 45 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 53 | 60 | 60 | 60 | 72 | 74 |
Ireland | 30 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 105 | 105 | 105 | 105 | 105 | 105 | 103 | 103 | 103 | 105 |
Total | 460 | 567 | 507 | 509 | 511 | 513 | 558 | 658 | 656 | 658 | 658 | 656 | 654 | 656 | 658 | 658 | 652 | 648 | 670 | 707 |
Country | 1922 | 1945 | 1950 | 1955 | 1974 | 1983 | 1992 | 1997 | 2005 | 2010 | 2013 review |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
England | 492 | 517 | 506 | 511 | 516 | 523 | 524 | 529 | 529 | 533 | 502 |
Wales | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 36 | 38 | 38 | 40 | 40 | 40 | 30 |
Scotland | 74 | 74 | 71 | 71 | 71 | 72 | 72 | 72 | 59 | 59 | 52 |
Northern Ireland | 13 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 17 | 17 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 16 |
Total | 615 | 640 | 625 | 630 | 635 | 650 | 651 | 659 | 646 | 650 | 600 |
Notes:-
- a Third Protectorate Parliament.
- b Rump Parliament/Long Parliament restored.
- c Changes in June 1885.
- d Changes at the United Kingdom general election, 1885, in November-December 1885.
A list of the number of MPs from Scotland, as provided for in the year of the legislation specified (but not necessarily the year when the redistribution took effect).
- 1654: 30
- 1659: 0
- 1707: 45
- 1832: 53
- 1867: 60
- 1885: 72
- 1918: 74
- 1948: 71
- 1983: 72
- 2003: 59
- 2013 review: 52
In 2003, following the creation of the Scottish Parliament, the Boundary Commission for Scotland met to recommend a decrease in the number of Scottish MPs to bring the average number per head of population in line with the national average. This change came into effect following the May 2005 General Election.
Read more about this topic: Number Of Westminster MPs
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