Continued Increase in Scottish Births

11 September 2008

The number of births registered in Scotland during the second quarter of 2008 was 4.3 per cent higher than during the same period of 2007.

Registrar General for Scotland Duncan Macniven said:

“Nearly 15,000 births were registered in April, May and June, continuing the recent increase in the birth rate. Indeed, the number was the highest in the second quarter for 11 years. Taking the first two quarters together, there were around 1,500 more births in the first half of 2008 than in the same period of 2007.

“The second quarter of 2008 saw fewer marriages and slightly more deaths than in the same period last year.”

The Registrar General was speaking as he published provisional figures for births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships registered during the second quarter of 2008.

Other comparisons with the second quarter of 2007 showed that:

marriages were down by 242 from 8,146 to 7,904.
114 civil partnerships (53 male and 61 female) were registered in the quarter, 66 fewer than the 180 partnerships registered in the second quarter of 2007.
There were about 90 more deaths. Deaths from cancer, coronary heart disease and stroke all fell slightly, by 0.4 per cent and 1.1 per cent and 0.7 per cent respectively.

For a copy of the full report, including local breakdowns, please visit Births, Marriages and Deaths - 2nd Quarter 2008

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