Scottish death rate falls to record low

THE number of people dying at the start of this year was the lowest in record history, according to official figures.

• Just 14,218 deaths registered in Scotland between January and end of March

• Lowest first-quarter figure for a least a century

• Marriages increase by 4 per cent

The number is 317 (2.2 per cent) fewer than in the same period of 2011, which had previously shown the lowest total.

It is likely this is the lowest number since registration began in 1855. However, statisticians cannot be sure as quarterly statistics are only available from 1901.

Registrar General for Scotland George MacKenzie said: “Scotland recorded its lowest-ever annual total of deaths in 2011, and these figures show the number of deaths has continued to fall in 2012 to the lowest level in the first quarter for over a century.

“Today’s figures also show that the number of births during the first quarter of 2012 was higher than in the same period last year.

“The number of marriages also increased, while the number of civil partnerships fell.”

A total 14,772 babies were born between January and March, 159 (1.1 per cent) more than in the same period last year and the highest first-quarter birth rate since 2008.

Stillbirths, prenatal deaths, neonatal deaths and infant deaths were all within historical limits.

The number of marriages increased by 4 per cent to 3,255, 124 more than in the first quarter of 2011 and also the highest first-quarter figure since 2008.

Civil partnership numbers fell to 83, comprising 36 male and 47 female, 15 fewer than during the first quarter of 2011.

Death numbers from cancer fell 0.4 per cent to 3,880, while deaths from coronary heart disease and stroke were down 7.3 per cent to 1,923 and 13.6 per cent to 1,164 respectively.