More Scottish Babies Make Their Mark

24th June 2004

A rise in Scotland's birth rate and a fall in the number of deaths has been recorded in the first three months of 2004, according to the General Register Office for Scotland.

Duncan Macniven, Registrar General for Scotland, said,

"It is encouraging to learn that the number of births is 5.4 per cent higher than the first quarter last year. Since the middle of 2002, all but one quarter has seen more births than the same period in the previous year. Last quarter, too, the number of deaths was 2.4 per cent lower than in 2003. These changes help to defer the time when Scotland's population falls below 5 million."

The return presents provisional figures for vital events (births, deaths and marriages) registered during the period January 1, 2004 to March 31, 2004.