Plans to radically redraw the electoral map as part of the coalition's proposed political reform package will have a greater impact on Wales than any other part of the UK, MPs have warned.
In a report published today, the House of Commons Welsh Affairs Committee said the Parliamentary Voting and Constituencies Bill proposes Wales lose ten of its forty parliamentary seats, a reduction of 25 per cent.
The government wants to create constituencies of roughly the same size, each with about 76,000 voters. But the committee warn that decisions on constituencies must not be based solely on numbers.
"The unique geography, history and communities of Wales must not be ignored when the Boundary Commission undertakes its review," it said.
"In a democracy, it is an important consideration that every effort is made to ensure that votes have equal weight.
"However, no electoral system genuinely delivers a wholly 'fair' outcome in these terms.
The report said "other factors" should weigh in the consideration of where the balance of fairness lies.
"It is also important that the interests of each region of the United Kingdom are properly heard at Westminster.
The Bill also makes provision for a referendum on changing the voting system to the Alternative Vote to be held on May 5 2011, the same day as elections to the Welsh Assembly.
And the report raised concerns that that the number of complex political decisions that the people of Wales will be asked to take next Spring meant that there was a risk that they will not each receive the attention they each deserve.
Committee chair David TC Davies said: "By any yardstick, the government's proposals for constitutional reform would represent a profound change to the way that Wales is represented at Westminster.
"I am pleased that the committee agreed unanimously our first report of the new parliament and in doing so highlighted a number of concerns about the legislation.
"We are concerned that the aspects of the Bill which particularly relate to Wales have not received as full scrutiny as they should.
"Ministers now have the opportunity to address our concerns before the Bill completes its passage in the Commons."
The report is likely to receive attention when MPs debate the Bill in the Commons chamber this afternoon.
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