The Senedd Cymru Constituency Regulations 2025: integrated impact assessment

Welsh Ministers have a statutory duty to give legal effect to the final recommendations of the Democracy and Boundary Commission Cymru (DBCC) for the Senedd constituency boundaries to have effect at the 2026 Senedd General Elections.

Welsh Ministers have no discretion if and how to discharge this obligation - Schedule 2 to the Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Act sets out that:

9 (1) The Welsh Ministers must make regulations giving effect to the determinations in the Commission’s final report—

1. as soon as reasonably practicable after laying the report before the Senedd, and
2. in any event, unless there are exceptional circumstances, before the end of the period of 14 weeks beginning with the date the final report is laid before the Senedd.

This is a deliberate approach, to ensure the independence - real or perceived – of the process by which Senedd constituencies are determined.

Given the lack of discretion available to Welsh Ministers, detailed consideration of the 5 ways of working in the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015 has not been undertaken.

8.1 How have people most likely to be affected by the proposal been involved in developing it?

Two rounds of consultation were undertaken by the DBCC prior to the publication of their final report – one following the publication of their initial proposals on 3 September 2024, and another following the publication of their revised proposals on 17 December 2024. 3,741 representations were received during the first round of consultation, and 365 representations were received during the second round of consultation.

No consultation has been undertaken by the Welsh Government, given the independence of the process undertaken by the DBCC.

8.2 What are the most significant impacts, positive and negative?

Making the regulations as drafted will discharge the Welsh Ministers statutory duty to implement the determination of the DBCC.

The determinations of the DBCC provide the 16 Senedd Constituencies that are essential for the proper functioning of the Senedd general election in 2026.

8.3 In light of the impacts identified, how will the proposal:

• maximise contribution to our well-being objectives and the 7 well-being goals, and/or
• avoid, reduce or mitigate any negative impacts?

The IIA as completed above has not identified any negative impacts as a result of Welsh Ministers discharging their legal obligation to give effect to the determinations of the independent DBCC.

8.3 How will the impact of the proposal be monitored and evaluated as it progresses and when it concludes?

The DBCC is required to undertake a subsequent review of Senedd Constituency boundaries in advance of the scheduled 2030 Senedd general election. Welsh Minsters will again be subject to the legal obligation to give effect to - and only to – the determinations of the DBCC.