Few voters want Welsh MPs numbers cut, BBC poll suggests

Only 18% of Welsh voters support the UK government's plan to reduce the number of Welsh MPs by more than a quarter, the BBC Wales St David's Day poll suggests.

Some 52% of those polled believed the current number of MPs was "about right", with 28% backing increasing the number of Welsh MPs to more than 40.

The number of Welsh MPs will fall from 40 to 29 at the next general election.

It is part of a move to reduce the number of UK MPs from 650 to 600.

One Conservative who could see his constituency disappear under the plans is Montgomeryshire MP Glyn Davies.

He agrees that Wales has sent too many MPs to Westminster, but believes that the rural population could loose out under the new plans.

He told BBC Wales' Y Sgwrs programme: "I worry a lot about what will happen."

Mr Davies said: "Rural areas will lose out. I expect that to happen in Wales more than any other area."

He added: "The bill specifies the same amount of population for each constituency.

"There is no flexibility for the commissioners to bring sensible suggestions forward."

Glyn Davies says rural Wales is likely to suffer most under the changes

The changes are being made as a result of rules that require broadly equal numbers of voters in each constituency.

Welsh constituencies currently have, on average, fewer voters than English ones.

The Boundary Commission for Wales has said it will publish "initial proposals" for Welsh constituencies later in 2016, to be followed by a period of consultation.

When asked about the number of assembly members, just under half of the respondents, 48%, believed that the current 60 AMs is "about right".

But 23% of those polled believed the number of AMs should be cut.

'Good legislation'

Assembly Presiding Officer Dame Rosemary Butler has called for an increase to 80 AMs, in response to the additional powers and responsibility being devolved to Wales.

Only 13% of those asked agreed with her, with 7% in favour of raising the number of assembly members to over 80.

Dr Elin Royles from Aberystwyth University believes that there is a strong argument for increasing the number of AMs.

"Increasing the numbers of assembly members would reflect the growth in powers and the need for strong scrutiny, so that we can create good legislation here in Wales," she said.

"This then would go hand in hand with the cut in MPs."

Data from the St David's Day poll released on Tuesday suggested that health was the biggest single issue that could affect the way people vote in May's assembly election.