BCS Paper 2016/15 2018 Review of UK Parliament Constituencies Constituency Considerations for Argyll and Bute, Highland and Mora

Boundary Commission for Scotland BCS Paper 2016/15

2018 Review of UK Parliament Constituencies Constituency considerations for Argyll and Bute, Highland and Moray council areas

Action required 1. The Commission is invited to consider alternative designs of constituencies for Argyll and Bute, Highland and Moray council areas for its initial proposals, in furtherance of its 2018 Review of UK Parliament constituencies.

Background 2. On 24 February 2016, the Commission began its 2018 Review of UK Parliament constituencies with a view to making its recommendations by October 2018 in tandem with the other UK parliamentary boundary commissions.

3. The review is being undertaken in compliance with the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986, as amended. The Act stipulates a UK electoral quota of 74,769.2 electors and use of the parliamentary electorate figures from the December 2015 Electoral Register. The 5% electorate limits in the Act correspond to an electorate of no less than 71,031 and no more than 78,507.

4. The Act requires the Commission to recommend the name, extent and designation of constituencies in Scotland, of which there are to be 53 in total. 2 Scottish constituencies are prescribed in the Act: Orkney and Shetland Islands constituency and Western isles constituency.

5. The Act provides some discretion in the extent of the Commission’s regard to the size, shape and accessibility of constituencies, existing constituencies and the breaking of local ties. As this review is considered to be the first following enactment of the legislation (the 6th Review was ended before completion in 2013 following enactment of the Electoral Registration and Administration Act 2013) the Commission need not have regard to the inconveniences attendant on changes to constituencies.

6. At its meeting of 16 May 2016, the Commission provisionally adopted a grouping of council areas as part of its approach to constituency design for the 2018 Review, which included a group comprising Argyll and Bute, Highland and Moray council areas. This paper offers some options for constituencies within that group.

7. The 2015 parliamentary electorates of the council areas in this group are as shown in Table 1 below:

Council area Parliamentary Constituency Area / km2 electorate entitlement Argyll and Bute 65,944 0.88 7,163.8 Highland 172,069 2.30 26,484.4 Moray 69,405 0.93 2,257.1 total 307,418 4.11 35,905.3 Table 1: 2015 parliamentary electorates of council areas in the group.

Document name 1 BCS2016_15_(Constituency_Design_Highland_AandB_Moray) Boundary Commission for Scotland BCS Paper 2016/15

8. The existing constituencies in the group and their 2015 parliamentary electorates are as shown in Table 2 below:

constituency Electorate Area / km2 designation Argyll and Bute 65,944 7,163.8 county Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross 45,898 8,751.7 county Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and county 74,354 4,953.2 Strathspey Moray 69,405 2,257.1 county Ross, Skye and Lochaber 51,817 12,779.5 county Table 2: 2015 parliamentary electorates of existing constituencies in the group.

9. A map of existing constituencies and council areas in the group can be found at Appendix A.

10. The constituency names in this paper are provisional. The Commission will have the opportunity to review all constituency names and designations prior to the publication of its Initial Proposals.

Options 11. All constituencies in the following options have electorates that lie within 5% of the electoral quota and have areas of less than 13,000 km2.

12. Highland Council area currently contains 3 constituencies, 2 of which are substantially below 95% of the electoral quota. Preservation of existing constituencies is therefore only an option if constituencies that comply with the rules are not reasonably possible and if Highland Council area alone was to comprise a discrete group.

13. Because of the number of electors therein, Highland Council area alone cannot provide an integer number of constituencies without invocation of the area exemption; neither can Highland with either Moray or Argyll and Bute. Thus a 4- council area group as a minimum is necessary for constituencies within 5% of the electoral quota.

14. The placement of Highland North’s boundary near to Applecross, which is the same in both options presented below, was influenced by the constituency area constraints in the legislation, by the requirement for the constituency’s electorate to be within 5% of the electoral quota and for the neighbouring constituency’s electorate to be small enough to form a constituency while having regard to local ties there and in Lochaber.

15. The routes of the boundary in the Aird in both options, while differing in detail, were influenced by the need to increase the electorate of Highland North constituency enough to make the neighbouring constituency have an electorate smaller than 105% of the electoral quota, without also substantially increasing Highland North constituency’s area.

16. In Lochaber, the primary influences for the choice of boundary were the limited access to Mallaig from elsewhere in ward 12, the number of electors in Fort

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William, Caol and Corpach and the need for the neighbouring constituency to be small enough to be within 5% of the electoral quota. In both options, the boundary between Caol and Corpach is partially supported by a primary school catchment boundary and a community council area boundary.

17. In option 2, the division of ward 21 (Badenoch and Strathspey) was necessitated by the combined electorate of Moray Council area and ward 21 being too large to form a constituency and to avoid constituencies needlessly covering more than one council area. The choice of boundary near to Kingussie was influenced by the aim of minimising disruption to local ties in Lochaber, the division of which is inevitable in this particular group.

18. In option 2, the division of wards 19 (Nairn) and 20 (Inverness South) was to enable the neighbouring Inverness and Skye constituency to have a small enough electorate to comply with the legislation while having regard to local ties. The boundary in ward 19 follows the northern boundary of East Nairnshire community council area. The boundary in ward 20 is similar to a primary school catchment boundary and a community council boundary in the area.

Option 1 19. Option 1 provides for 4 constituencies exactly covering the combined extents of Argyll and Bute, Highland and Moray council areas. A map of option 1 constituencies is at Appendix B1.

20. Highland North is the largest constituency in the group by area and the smallest in terms of electorate. The southern boundary of the constituency largely reflects community council boundaries from Applecross to the outskirts of Inverness; the boundary follows physical features west of Strathconan before extending south into The Aird to include Kilmorack and Kirkhill and Bunchrew community council areas in their entirety.

21. Moray and Nairn constituency comprises the Moray Council area and Highland ward 19 (Nairn).

22. Argyll and Lochaber constituency comprises Argyll and Bute Council area together with Highland ward 22 (Fort William and Ardnamurchan) and part ward 12 (Caol and Mallaig). The boundary in Lochaber follows the Caledonian Canal between Caol and Corpach, and further west it follows community council area boundaries landward of Loch Nevis. The constituency contains Ardnamurchan, Mallaig, Caol and Fort William.

23. Inverness and Skye constituency, as well as including Inverness and Skye, contains Corpach and Spean Bridge, the reminder of The Aird, Badenoch, Strathspey and Lochalsh.

24. The electorate, area, ward composition, designation and suggested name of each constituency in option 1 is shown in Table 3 below:

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Constituency name electorate Physical wards extent (km2) Argyll and Lochaber CC 77,574 10,313 Argyll and Bute all Highland 12(pt), 22 Highland North CC 73,147 12,985 Highland 1-5, 6(pt), 7-10, 13(pt) Inverness and Skye CC 78,220 9,995 Highland 6(pt), 11, 12(pt), 13(pt), 14-18, 20, 21 Moray and Nairn CC 78,477 2,612 Highland 19 Moray all Table 3: 2015 parliamentary electorates of option 1 constituencies.

25. In option 1, 3 wards are divided between constituencies: they are Highland ward 6 (Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh), ward 12 (Caol and Mallaig) and ward 13 (The Aird). Detailed maps of the boundary in these wards are at Appendices B2 to B5.

26. The advantages of option 1 are:  Moray and Nairn constituency is formed entirely from whole wards;  Highland North constituency is formed from whole community council areas; and  Fewer wards are divided between constituencies than in option 2.

27. The disadvantages of option 1 are:  Caol and Corpach are in separate constituencies, which are demarcated by the Caledonian Canal rather than the nearby ward boundary following the River Lochy;  Ardnamurchan and Mallaig do not have direct road links to the rest of the constituency: access is via the Corran Ferry or through Corpach; and  Nairn is a compact ward relative to other wards in Highland and so the resulting constituency has a far smaller area than the other constituencies in the group.

Option 2 28. Option 2 provides for 4 constituencies within 5% of the electoral quota and below 13,000 km2.

29. Option 2 offers an alternative boundary between Highland North constituency and Inverness and Skye constituency in The Aird by following the western boundary of Kirkhill primary school catchment area. The westernmost landward boundaries between Applecross and Strathconan are the same as those in option 1.

30. The Inverness and Skye constituency includes the coastal part of Highland ward 19 (Nairn), Inverness, Skye, Lochalsh, Ardnamurchan, Corpach and Mallaig.

31. Moray and Strathspey constituency comprises Moray Council area and part of Highland wards 19 (Nairn), 20 (Inverness South) and 21 (Badenoch and Strathspey). The southern boundary follows a community council boundary to

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the northeast of Kingussie in ward 21and the westernmost part of the boundary follows community council boundaries in East Nairnshire in ward 19 and near Craggie in ward 20.

32. Argyll, Badenoch and Lochaber constituency combines Argyll and Bute Council area with the eastern part of Highland wards 12 (Caol and Mallaig) and 22 (Fort William and Ardnamurchan) and the southern part of ward 21 (Badenoch and Strathspey) to include Kingussie.

33. The electorate, area, ward composition, designation and suggested name of each constituency is shown in Table 4 below:

Constituency name electorate Physical wards extent (km2) Argyll, Badenoch and 77,995 9,659 Argyll and Bute all Lochaber CC Highland 12(pt), 21(pt), 22(pt) Highland North CC 73,266 12,992 Highland 1-5, 6(pt), 7-10, 13(pt) Inverness and Skye CC 78,320 8,914 Highland 6(pt), 11, 12(pt), 13(pt), 14-18, 19(pt), 20(pt), 22(pt) Moray and Strathspey 77,837 4,340 Highland 19(pt), 20(pt), 21(pt) CC Moray all Table 4: 2015 parliamentary electorates of option 2 constituencies.

34. In option 2, 7 wards are divided between constituencies: they are Highland ward 6 (Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh), ward 12 (Caol and Mallaig), ward 13 (The Aird), ward 19 (Nairn), ward 20 (Inverness South), ward 21 (Badenoch and Strathspey) and ward 22 (Fort William and Ardnamurchan). Detailed maps of the boundary in these wards are at Appendices C2 to C6.

35. The advantages of option 2 are:  Ardnamurchan and Mallaig have direct road access from elsewhere in the constituency; and  Moray and Strathspey constituency is larger than Moray and Nairn constituency, which enables other constituencies in the group to be smaller than otherwise.

36. The disadvantages of option 2 are:  4 more wards are divided between constituencies than in option 1;  Kiltarlity community council area is divided between constituencies; and  Nairnshire is divided between constituencies;

Discussion 37. Both Highland North constituencies in this paper are interchangeable between options. Also, the Argyll-based constituency in option 2 can be placed with Moray and Nairn constituency and Argyll and Lochaber constituency from option 1. The Moray and Nairn constituency can be combined with Argyll, Badenoch and Lochaber constituency and Highland North constituency from option 2, but the Moray and Strathspey cannot be combined with Argyll and Lochaber constituency or Highland North constituency in option 1.

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38. Both Moray-based constituencies are reasonable in terms of size, connectivity and local ties. Moray and Nairn constituency comprises whole wards, but is less extensive in area terms than Moray and Strathspey constituency, which contains more area but divides 3 wards.

39. The primary issue with this grouping is the necessity to divide the vicinity of Fort William between constituencies. The electorate in the area is such that Argyll and Bute Council area cannot combine with both Highland wards 12 (Caol and Mallaig) and 22 (Fort William and Ardnamurchan) to form a constituency within 5% of the electoral quota and so ward 12 and/or ward 22 must be divided between constituencies.

40. While both options depict boundaries that largely follow local community council boundaries, option 1 places Corpach in the Inverness and Skye constituency and Caol and Mallaig with Fort William and Ardnamurchan together in a constituency with Argyll and Bute Council area, and option 2 places Corpach, Mallaig and Ardnamurchan in the Inverness and Skye constituency and Newtonmore joins Fort William in the Argyll, Badenoch and Lochaber constituency.

41. The options for constituencies that comply with the legislative requirements while respecting local ties and the physical geography of the area are limited for this group. The shape and size of ‘Highland North’, in particular its extension into the Aird, albeit following community council boundaries, has been necessitated by the relatively high density of electors found in the area and the dual requirements of a minimum electorate and a maximum physical extent. The boundary near Applecross, while following community council boundaries, is in part in response to the area constraints

42. The electoral constraints of this grouping are such that, although Argyll and Bute council area and Highland ward 22 (Fort William and Ardnamurchan) could together form a whole-ward constituency that would be within 5% of the electoral quota, part of Highland ward 12 (Caol and Mallaig) has also been included to facilitate constituencies with acceptable parity elsewhere in the council area.

43. In summary, both options comprise 2 constituencies wholly within Highland Council area, 1 constituency containing Argyll and Bute Council area and part of Highland council area and 1 constituency containing Moray Council area and part of Highland Council area. In option 1, 3 wards are divided between constituencies; in option 2, 7 wards are divided between constituencies.

44. If the Commission considers that the options shown herein, with or without amendment, are not reasonably possible, it may wish to consider alternative groupings of council areas; in that case, the Secretariat will table options at its next meeting.

Conclusion 45. The Commission is invited to agree its initial proposals for public consultation, subject to identification of satisfactory constituencies elsewhere in Scotland.

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Secretariat June 2016

Document name 7 BCS2016_15_(Constituency_Design_Highland_AandB_Moray) Boundary Commission for Scotland BCS Paper 2016/15 2018 Review of Westminster Constituencies Appendix A Argyll and Bute, Highland and Moray council areas Existing constituencies

Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross

Moray

Ross, Skye and Lochaber Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey

Argyll and Bute

council area boundary existing constituency 40 Mile 0 0 30 miles30 mile Crown Copyright and database right 2016. All rights reserved. Ordnance ± 0 30 km Survey licence no. 100022179 Boundary Commission for Scotland BCS Paper 2016/15 2018 Review of Westminster Constituencies Appendix B1 Argyll and Bute, Highland and Moray council areas Initial proposals - option 1

Highland North

Moray and Nairn

Inverness and Skye

Argyll and Lochaber

Physical 2 Constituency name electorate extent/km Argyll and Lochaber CC 77,574 10,313 Highland North CC 73,147 12,985 Inverness and Skye CC 78,220 9,995 Moray and Nairn CC 78,477 2,612

existing constituency boundary proposed constituency 40 Mile 0 0 30 miles30 mile Crown Copyright and database right 2016. All rights reserved. Ordnance ± 0 30 km Survey licence no. 100022179 Boundary Commission for Scotland BCS Paper 2016/15 2018 Review of Westminster Constituencies Appendix B2 Argyll and Bute, Highland and Moray council areas Initial proposals - option 1: division of Highland ward 6

Highland North

Physical 2 Constituency name electorate extent/km Argyll and Lochaber CC 77,574 10,313 Highland North CC 73,147 12,985 Inverness and Skye Inverness and Skye CC 78,220 9,995 Moray and Nairn CC 78,477 2,612 ward boundary proposed constituency 4 Mile 0 0 3.53 miles mile Crown Copyright and database right 2016. All rights reserved. Ordnance ± 0 3.5 km Survey licence no. 100022179 Boundary Commission for Scotland BCS Paper 2016/15 Physical Appendix B3 2 2018 Review of Westminster Constituencies Constituency name electorate extent/km Argyll and Bute, Highland and Moray council areas Argyll and Lochaber CC 77,574 10,313 Initial proposals - option 1: division of Highland ward 13 Highland North CC 73,147 12,985 Inverness and Skye CC 78,220 9,995 Moray and Nairn CC 78,477 2,612 Highland North

Inverness and Skye

ward boundary proposed constituency 2 Mile 0 0 1.52 miles mile Crown Copyright and database right 2016. All rights reserved. Ordnance ± 0 2 km Survey licence no. 100022179 Boundary Commission for Scotland BCS Paper 2016/15 2018 Review of Westminster Constituencies Appendix B4 Argyll and Bute, Highland and Moray council areas Initial proposals - option 1: division of Highland ward 12

Physical 2 Constituency name electorate extent/km Argyll and Lochaber CC 77,574 10,313 Highland North CC 73,147 12,985 Inverness and Skye CC 78,220 9,995 Moray and Nairn CC 78,477 2,612 Inverness and Skye

ward 12

ward 22

ward boundary proposed constituency Argyll and Lochaber 1 Mile 0 0 0.751 miles mile Crown Copyright and database right 2016. All rights reserved. Ordnance ± 0 1 km Survey licence no. 100022179 Boundary Commission for Scotland BCS Paper 2016/15 2018 Review of Westminster Constituencies Appendix B5 Argyll and Bute, Highland and Moray council areas Initial proposals - option 1: division of Highland ward 12

Physical 2 Constituency name electorate extent/km Argyll and Lochaber CC 77,574 10,313 Highland North CC 73,147 12,985 Inverness and Skye CC 78,220 9,995 Moray and Nairn CC 78,477 2,612

ward 12

Inverness and Skye

ward boundary proposed constituency Argyll and Lochaber 3 Mile 0 2.5 mile ward 22 0 3 miles Crown Copyright and database right 2016. All rights reserved. Ordnance ± 0 3 km Survey licence no. 100022179 Boundary Commission for Scotland BCS Paper 2016/15 2018 Review of Westminster Constituencies Appendix C1 Argyll and Bute, Highland and Moray council areas Initial proposals - option 2

Highland North

Moray and Strathspey Inverness and Skye

Argyll, Badenoch and Lochaber

2 constituency name electorate area / km Argyll, Badenoch and Lochaber CC 77,995 9,659 Highland North CC 73,266 12,992 Inverness and Skye CC 78,319 8,914 Moray and Strathspey CC 77,837 4,340

existing constituency boundary proposed constituency 40 Mile 0 0 30 miles30 mile Crown Copyright and database right 2016. All rights reserved. Ordnance ± 0 30 km Survey licence no. 100022179 Boundary Commission for Scotland BCS Paper 2016/15 2018 Review of Westminster Constituencies Appendix C2 Argyll and Bute, Highland and Moray council areas Initial proposals - option 2: division of Highland ward 12

2 constituency name electorate area / km Argyll, Badenoch and Lochaber CC 77,995 9,659 Highland North CC 73,266 12,992 Inverness and Skye CC 78,319 8,914 Moray and Strathspey CC 77,837 4,340

Inverness and Skye

Argyll, Badenoch and Lochaber

ward boundary proposed constituency 4 Mile 0 0 3.53 miles mile Crown Copyright and database right 2016. All rights reserved. Ordnance ± 0 3.5 km Survey licence no. 100022179 Boundary Commission for Scotland BCS Paper 2016/15 2018 Review of Westminster Constituencies Appendix C3 Argyll and Bute, Highland and Moray council areas Initial proposals - option 2: division of Highland ward 13

Highland North

2 constituency name electorate area / km Argyll, Badenoch and Lochaber CC 77,995 9,659 Highland North CC 73,266 12,992 Inverness and Skye CC 78,319 8,914 Inverness and Skye Moray and Strathspey CC 77,837 4,340 ward boundary proposed constituency 2 Mile 0 0 1.52 miles mile Crown Copyright and database right 2016. All rights reserved. Ordnance ± 0 2 km Survey licence no. 100022179 Boundary Commission for Scotland BCS Paper 2016/15 2018 Review of Westminster Constituencies Appendix C4 Argyll and Bute, Highland and Moray council areas Initial proposals - option 2: division of Highland ward 19

Inverness and Skye

Moray and Strathspey

2 constituency name electorate area / km Argyll, Badenoch and Lochaber CC 77,995 9,659 Highland North CC 73,266 12,992 Inverness and Skye CC 78,319 8,914 Moray and Strathspey CC 77,837 4,340 ward boundary proposed constituency 1 Mile 0 0 0.81 miles mile Crown Copyright and database right 2016. All rights reserved. Ordnance ± 0 1 km Survey licence no. 100022179 Boundary Commission for Scotland BCS Paper 2016/15 2018 Review of Westminster Constituencies Appendix C5 Argyll and Bute, Highland and Moray council areas Initial proposals - option 2: division of Highland ward 20

Moray and Strathspey

ward boundary proposed constituency 0.7 Mile 0 0 0.650.55 miles mile Crown Copyright and database right 2016. All rights reserved. Ordnance ± 0 0.65 km Survey licence no. 100022179 Boundary Commission for Scotland BCS Paper 2016/15 2018 Review of Westminster Constituencies Appendix C6 Argyll and Bute, Highland and Moray council areas Initial proposals - option 2: division of Highland ward 21

Argyll, Badenoch and Lochaber