Each year, interesting things happen to Scotland’s population – and 2006 was no exception. In this Annual Report, my colleagues and I have highlighted the points of most interest.
For the fourth year running, Scotland’s population increased during the year to mid-2006. As in previous years, migration was the reason for the increase, with over 21,000 more people coming to Scotland than left it. There were 300 more deaths than births so, without the effect of migration, the population would have fallen slightly. But in the full 2006 calendar year, for the first time since 1994, there were more births than deaths, by a margin of 600. That was thanks both to an increase in the number of births and to a decrease in the number of deaths, compared to the previous calendar year.
Interesting changes also took place in the patterns of marriage and partnership. There were almost 1,000 fewer marriages in Scotland in 2006 than in 2005. The number of divorces increased sharply (by almost 20%) – mainly the result of a change in the law which shortened the periods of separation before a couple can divorce. 2006 was the first full year of same-sex civil partnerships, and over 1,000 partnerships were registered during the year.
In demographic terms, Scotland is not a single country. There are big regional variations. Chapter 2 of this report, contributed by Professor Michael Anderson of the University of Edinburgh and Nick Wright of the General Register Office for Scotland, explores the differences. It gives more evidence of the depth and nature of the inequalities in life expectancy and other demographic variables. It spotlights the markedly poorer performance of most of West Central Scotland compared to the rest of the country. Despite the concentration of government attention on that problem for many years, the disparity appears to have increased rather than reduced. But the chapter also highlights the demographic dynamism of most of the rural parts of Scotland – which, once the effect of different age structures is removed, have generally high birth rates and low death rates and are attractive to migrants not only from elsewhere in Scotland but also from further afield.