§ THE EARL OF LAUDERDALEMy Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.
§ [The Question was as follows:
§ To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish an analysis of the pattern of annual migration into and out of Scotland since 1951 in relation to the natural growth of population.]
| SCOTLAND—NATURAL INCREASE AND POPULATION MOVEMENT 1951–69 | |||||||||
| (Thousands) | |||||||||
| Movement of patients on Doctor's Lists | International Passenger Survey Overseas | ||||||||
| Estimated Net Migration | From | To | Migration Outwith British Isles | ||||||
| Year to June | Natural Increase | Rest U.K. | Overseas | Total | Rest U.K. | Rest U.K. | In | Out | Net |
| 1956 | 33.7 | —14.0 | —13.2 | —27.2 | 32.7 | 46.7 | |||
| 1957 | 36.9 | —11.1 | —22.0 | —33.1 | 34.3 | 45.5 | |||
| 1958 | 34.6 | —9.3 | —16.1 | —25.4 | 36.9 | 46.1 | |||
| 1959 | 36.4 | —12.0 | —8.3 | —20.3 | 35.1 | 47.2 | |||
| 1960 | 39.7 | —19. 3 | —9.2 | —28.5 | 34.0 | 53.3 | |||
| 1961 | 37.6 | —25.9 | —8.7 | —34.6 | 37.6 | 63.5 | N.A. | ||
| 1962 | 39.1 | —20.5 | —9.0 | —29.5 | 39.8 | 60.3 | |||
| 1963 | 38.2 | —21.0 | —13.0 | —34.0 | 39.6 | 60.6 | |||
| 1964 | 42.3 | —24.0 | —16.6 | —40.6 | 39.6 | 63.7 | |||
| 1965 | 40.6 | —22.0 | —21.0 | —43.0 | 41.6 | 63.6 | |||
| 1966 | 33.2 | —22.0 | —25.0 | —47.0 | 45.7 | 67.4 | |||
| 1967 | 38.1 | —16.0 | —29.0 | —45.0 | 48.8 | 65.1 | 12.0 | 39.2 | —27.1 |
| 1968 | 31.9 | —13.0 | —20.0 | —33.0 | 49.8 | 62.5 | 10.7 | 30.1 | —19.3 |
| 1969 | 30.3 | —11.0 | —14.0 | —25.0 | 51.1 | 61.8 | 12.6 | 25.8 | —13.2 |
§ THE EARL OF LAUDERDALEMy Lords, in thanking the noble Lord for that reply, which promises to be helpful when we see it in toto, may I ask him whether the net loss in relation to natural increase has in fact risen in recent years from something like 80 per cent. to some-thing like 90 per cent.?
§ LORD HUGHESMy Lords, the position in recent years has been improving. In the four years ended June, 1969, there has been a steady drop in net migration loss which, compared with the previous four years, 1961–62 to 1964–65, is an improvement, because it appears that there was then a steady increase.
§ THE EARL OF LAUDERDALEMy Lords, can the noble Lord say whether that picture is in any way masked or obscured by the return to Scotland of persons coming there to retire; and,
§ THE MINISTER OF STATE, SCOTTISH OFFICE (LORD HUGHES)My Lords, statistics of natural population increases, estimates of net migration flows and estimates of overseas flows (since 1967) have been published in Census reports and in the Annual Reports of the Registrar General for Scotland. Accurate figures for all movements within the United Kingdom are not available, but rough estimates (based on registrations with National Health Service doctors) have been compiled since 1956. As the relevant particulars include 93 different figures, I will, with permission, circulate them in the OFFICIAL REPORT.
§ Following are the figures referred to in Lord Hughes's Answer:
§ secondly, whether it is perhaps improved by the element of those of high educational standing who have returned to work in Scotland, having left shortly after their university careers?
§ LORD HUGHESMy Lords, to the second part of the question I am not in a position to give an answer. The answer to the first part is, No; the contrary is in fact the position. Scotland has been losing more people aged 65 and over than we are gaining in people of that age coming in.