Births, Deaths and Other Vital Events - Second Quarter 2013

Provisional figures for births, deaths and other vital events registered during the second quarter of 2013 are published today by the National Records of Scotland.

The statistics show that 13,910 births were registered in Scotland between 1 April and 30 June 2013 – 435 (3.0 per cent) fewer than in the same period of 2012. This is the fifth successive decrease in the second quarter total, from a peak (for recent years) of 14,875 in 2008.

The provisional figures also show that:

• The number of marriages fell by 11.4 per cent to 8,113, which was 1,046 fewer than the unusually high figure for the second quarter of 2012.
• There were 141 civil partnerships (63 male and 78 female), 3 more than during the second quarter of 2012.
• 13,734 deaths were registered in the second quarter of the year – 34 (0.2 per cent) more than in the same period of 2012.
• Deaths from cancer fell by 0.5 per cent to 3,964, deaths from coronary heart disease fell by 2.6 per cent to 1,829, and there were 1,132 deaths from stroke (a rise of 2.1 per cent).

Tim Ellis, the Chief Executive of the National Records of Scotland, said:

"Today's statistics show a fall in the number of births registered in Scotland, continuing the trend of gradual decline since 2008, while the number of deaths rose very slightly, to the highest second quarter total since 2006. However, levels of both births and deaths continue to be relatively small in historical terms.

"The 11 per cent fall in the number of marriages seems relatively large, but last year's second quarter total of 9,159 was unusually high - it was the highest second quarter figure since 1993."

A chart on the NRS website shows how the total numbers of birth, marriages and deaths registered in successive periods of four quarters have varied since 1974 (which is the first year for which there are records of individual vital events in NRS's statistical database) - both the longer-term trends, and the short-term fluctuations in the some of the numbers.

The full publication, Births, deaths and other vital events - quarterly figures, is available on the NRS website.