Scots `brain drain’ to rest of the UK has reversed this century

The traditional "brain drain" from Scotland to the rest of the UK has been reversed in recent decades, a new study has found.
Ben Macpherson has welcomed the reverse in migration flowsBen Macpherson has welcomed the reverse in migration flows
Ben Macpherson has welcomed the reverse in migration flows

People moving up from the rest of the UK has boosted the population north of the border by 137,000 since the start of this century, according the Expert Advisory Group (EAG) on Migration and Population.

This has reversed the "historical trend" of Scotland being a nation of net population outflow.

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The numbers of Scots in their later 20s and early 30s leaving the country to seek work and a new life south of the border is falling, with students from Scotland and the rest of the UK more likely to stay here after their studies, the report suggests.

Scottish Government Migration minister Ben Macpherson said: "More people are moving to Scotland from the rest of the UK than are going in the other direction.

"That is welcome news, but we still face significant population challenges set against a backdrop of a record fall in the birth rate. People born abroad form a significant portion, one-fifth, of migrants between Scotland and the UK; and they move in both directions.

"As this Expert Advisory Group report highlights, analysis does not support any assertions that international migrants mostly move from Scotland to England – instead, people mostly stay and settle in Scotland."

Most big cities in Scotland, with the exception of Edinburgh, experienced negative net migration with the rest of the UK in the beginning of this century.

That has now changed, with almost all Scottish cities now receiving more migrants from the rest of the UK than they lose to the rest of the UK. The only exception is Aberdeen and surrounding areas.

All of Scotland’s population growth over the next 25 years is projected to come from migration, but there are fears that the stricter post-Brexit immigration controls poised to be introduced next year will undermine this and result in a decline.

This could see the working age population plummet and result in a fall in taxes required for vital public services.

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The Scottish Government is now calling for new controls over migration to be devolved to Holyrood in order to allow Scotland to devise a "tailor-made" solution for Scots migration levels.

Mr Macpherson added: “As well as continuing to use our devolved powers to attract more people from the rest of the UK and beyond, increasingly we require new powers and initiatives to enable the Scottish Government, accountable to the Scottish Parliament, to deliver tailor-made policies and solutions, to meet Scotland’s needs and address our demographic challenges.

Christina Boswell, Chair of the EAG on Population and Migration, said: "Internal migration within Scotland, and between Scotland and the rest of the UK, has received far less attention than migration from overseas.

"But these flows are an important part of overall migration, with significant impacts for places of origin and destination. As migrants tend to be younger and more qualified than those who stay, they bring economic benefits and dynamism to the (mainly urban) areas they move to."

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