Population Bigger than Paisley, Planted in Scotland Yearly
Latest figures show that gross immigration from abroad into Scotland is equivalent to a town larger than Paisley each year. The net figure is equivalent to a town the size of Inverness. We have the break-down. Graphic from page 9 of the NRS report quoted below.
The National Records of Scotland (NRS) published its "Mid-2023 Population Estimates, Scotland", on 8 October 2024. (1)
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It reports the latest estimate of Scotland's population (on 30 June 2023) as 5,490,100.
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It tells us: "The population increased by 43,100 (0.8%) in the year to mid-2023. This is
the largest single-year increase in Scotland's population in at least 76 years."
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From 2023, that would mean going all the way back to 1947.
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IMMIGRATION INTO SCOTLAND FROM ABROAD
It tells us that in the year previous – between June 2022 and June 2023 – a total gross of 82,800 people moved from abroad into Scotland – by which is meant, from outside the UK.
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The net figure of 47,700 subtracts emigration leaving Scotland for abroad. (2)
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These are figures for "long-term immigrants" as defined by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). (3)
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The ONS defines them:
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We define a long-term international migrant (applying the United Nations definition as someone who changes their country of usual residence for a period of 12 months or more, so that the country of destination effectively becomes the country of usual residence. (4)
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The NRS report tells us, unsurprisingly, that "migration was the driver of population growth" and:
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In the year to mid-2023, net migration was positive in all of Scotland's 32 council areas. In contrast, natural change (births minus deaths) was negative in all council areas. (p4)
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Let's put those two immigration figures into perspective, by using the list of populations of Scottish towns and cities provided by Wikipedia (which are based upon the NRS's "Mid-2020 Population Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland" of 31 March 2022).
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GROSS FIGURE of 82,800 IMMIGRANTS into SCOTLAND (June 22-June 23)
There are only 4 places in Scotland which have populations greater than 82,800. That's Glasgow (632,350), Edinburgh (506,520), Aberdeen (198,590) and Dundee (148,210).
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However, the gross figure of 82,800 comes in at more people than the fifth most populous town in Scotland, which is Paisley, which has 77,270 people, 5,530 fewer.
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That is, a new population, bigger than Scotland's fifth most populated town, came into Scotland between June 22 and June 23.
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The fifth most populated town in Scotland is now called "Yearly Immigrants from Abroad".
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The figure of 82,800 is 7,500 more than live in the next most populated town, East Kilbride (75,310).
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Or 26,000 more than live in the next most populated town of Livingston (56,840).
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Or about 27,500 more than live in the next most populated town of Dunfermline (54,990).
It is more than 2 Greenocks (41,280).
It's considerably more than 3 Clydebanks (25,620).
It's more than 4 Dumbartons (20,480).
And considerably more than 4 St Andrews (18,410).
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NET FIGURE of 47,700 IMMIGRANTS into SCOTLAND (June 22-June 23)
Even when we subtract the people leaving Scotland to go outside the UK, the net figure is still a massive figure.
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As it happens, the net figure of 47,700 is virtually the exact population of Inverness which Wikipedia tells us is 47,790.
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Or Perth, which is 47,350.
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And it is more than Kilmarnock, which is 46,970.
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Or Ayr, which is 46,260.
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So even if we are looking at the net figure; that is still a population coming into Scotland from abroad, in one year, which is equivalent to the population of Inverness, or Perth, or more than Kilmarnock, or Ayr!
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It's more than the size of Coatbridge (43,950), and much more than Greenock, (41,280).
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And far more than Glenrothes (38,360), Stirling (37,910), Airdrie (36,390), or Falkirk (35,590).
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It's around 13,570 more than Irvine (34,130).
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And around 14,230 more than Dumfries (33,470).
And around 14,860 more than Motherwell (32,840).
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It's 16,750 more than Rutherglen (30,950).
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Or 16,910 more than Cambuslang (30,790).
It's a figure equivalent to more than two Bathgates (23,600) or two Arbroaths (23,500).
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OK, so we've made our point!
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A POPULATION PLANTATION..."of Ready-Made Adults and Children"
These numbers are massive and they are important to know, because when some Scottish politician tells us that our population is falling, we can point out that:
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a) It is actually exploding in an uncontrolled way!
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b) A falling population isn't necessarily a bad thing, but if we consider it to be a bad thing, then we can seek to keep the population stable, or growing slightly, in other more responsible and sustainable ways.
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For example, we could encourage internal migration of British citizens from the rest of the UK. We could encourage pro-natalist policies which would help families to bond and children to be reared.
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This would also mean that the rate of population growth would be "organic" – in the sense that it would be derived from the long-term settled population of Scotland, and in a natural way.
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This would mean that the economy, and our public services, would be able to gradually adjust and adapt to the natural increase in babies, who turn into children, who turn into adults, who gradually pass away.
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c) However, we're not going to responsibly and sustainably address an excess of deaths over births by importing a town of "ready-made adults and children" bigger than Paisley every year! That's going to be a systemic shock to society and to the economy.
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This massive Population Plantation – of "ready-made adults and children" – has social and economic implications for everyone.
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YET POLITICIANS are still TRYING to "SET THE BUDGET"
For example, our politicians, at Westminster, and Holyrood – even in the face of this massive Population Plantation – affect to set their Budgets for the year. We're meant to take them seriously when they try to do this.
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But how is it possible to set the household budget for your home, when you leave your door wide open for everyone to come in – and for all of whom you have to find money to house, water and feed, clothe, keep warm, school, transport and medically-care for?
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It is not possible to set a national budget while ignoring the fact that there are massive numbers of long-term immigrants settling in the country each year.
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These figures are not widely publicised. Please spread this information.
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REFERENCES
1. The National Records of Scotland, "Mid-2023 Population Estimates, Scotland", 8 October 2024. You can find its report here.
Direct link to its PDF downloadable here:
2. These figures don't include the internal "migration" of people moving from the rest of the United Kingdom into Scotland, or out of Scotland to the rest of the United Kingdom – although the report also details those figures (48,400 in, 34,500 out, and net +13,900).
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3. The NRS reports says: "The estimates of international migration into and out of Scotland which inform these population estimates are produced by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). They [are] based on the provisional long-term international migration estimates for the year ending June 2023, published by ONS in November 2023, which are classed as being official statistics in development." (p22)
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4. Office for National Statistics, "Understanding international migration statistics", 23 May 2024 at Section 4 here.
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