Recession a turn-off for Scots couples, as births and marriages decrease

THE recession is making Scots too scared to have children, the country's leading population expert warned last night.

Professor Robert Wright spoke out after figures showed the number of births in Scotland had dropped over the summer compared with the same period last year.

There were 15,257 registered births in Scotland between July and September this year, 263 fewer than in 2008.

The birth rate in Scotland increased between 2007 and 2008 but has dropped off sharply this year, the figures showed.

The number of marriages also fell, with the recession again blamed. Marriages fell by 5 per cent, or 645, between last summer and the same period this year, from 11,892 to 11,247.

Death rates fell to their lowest level for 30 years over the summer, according to quarterly figures from the General Register Office, but Prof Wright claims Scotland is still the "sick man of Europe" with not enough new births to replace those dying.

The Strathclyde University expert, an adviser on population projections to the UK government, said: "We are going through an economic shock and that is making people more risk averse.

"That means some people are delaying having children until they see what way the economy is going. There is so much uncertainty over things like interest rates and jobs that some people are deciding now is not the time to have children.

"The mortality rate in Scotland is also at the lowest level since records began – which is good. But our life expectancy is still way behind what it should be. We are more in line with countries like Poland and the Czech Republic when we should be catching up with our neighbours in England and Wales. We are still the sick man of Europe."

Prof Wright claimed the falling marriage rate could also be down to the recession. He said: "The fact is, marriage is in decline, but the recession will again make people reluctant to incur extra expenditure on things like weddings."

The figures released yesterday showed the number of deaths recorded over the summer in Scotland had dropped to its lowest level in 30 years.

Between July and September, there were 12,427 deaths, 199 fewer than on the same period in 2008. The fall reflects improved life expectancy and a reduction in strokes and heart attacks, officials said.

Duncan Macniven, the Registrar General for Scotland, said: "The number of deaths continues to fall. We've seen a reduction in the first three quarters of this year, giving the lowest number of deaths and lowest death rate in the period January to September for at least three decades."