Number of Westminster MPs - Number of MPs By Country

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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