If there is a lesson from the latest Scottish population statistics, published yesterday, it is that Scotland needs its immigrants as much as they need us. Ever since Scotland's population first reached 5,000,000 in 1939, it has remained relatively stable. It is the make-up of that figure that has changed dramatically. Take 1950, a year when the tally of inhabitants was close to the latest total of 5,116,900. Today, more than 382,000 people in Scotland are 75 or over, while the number of those under 20, whose taxes and National Insurance contributions will be required to support them, is only 1,200,000. The equivalent figures for 1950 were fewer than 163,000 over-75s and more than 1,600,000 under-20s. It is an issue that First Minister Jack McConnell once described as the biggest single challenge facing Scotland.
If there is a lesson from the latest Scottish population statistics, published yesterday, it is that Scotland needs its immigrants as much as they need us. Ever since Scotland's population first reached 5,000,000 in 1939, it has remained relatively stable.
