Free movement of people is needed in face of our ageing population problem

Bill Jamieson raises the issue of an ageing population as being the most serious problem that we face (Perspective, 15 July). Often the focus of this is placed on current pensioners and the post-war baby boom when, after six years of war, service personnel returned home to resume family life. The Scottish figures reveal exactly what a surge in births there was. After ticking along at between 86,000 and 95,000 during the war, the number of live births shot up to 104,413 in 1946 and a whopping 113,147 in 1947.

However, they soon fell back to more normal levels until there was another surge in the early 1960s, peaking at 104,355 in 1964.

This probably had something to do with the fact that the post-war boom children were now starting to have children of their own. The 1960s’ babies are currently in their fifties and so not yet counted among the problematic “older generation”.

Indeed, most of them are still gainfully employed, but they are waiting in the wings to join Bill Jamieson’s ageing problem.

It is what happens next which is more worrying in terms of our population’s age profile. Starting in 1972, when there were 78,550 live births, the number began to fall steadily until it reached an all-time low of 51,270 in 2002, fewer than half the 1964 figure. During the first decade of this century there was a slight rally, up to 60,041 in 2008, possible due to young migrants, but after that it started to fall back again and was only 55,098 in 2015.

Obviously, not everyone who lives here was born here and nor do all those who were born here still live here. However, the figures do go a long way to explaining why there are so few young people today, and also indicate that there are many fewer potential parents for the next generation.

The birth rate would have to reach unimaginable levels to reverse the downward trend and, however much life expectancy is increased, the older folk will eventually die off and will then leave a vastly decreased population in Scotland unless there is net migration.

If you further consider that most of the British people living in Europe are pensioners whilst most of the European immigrants are of working age, then suddenly free movement of people looks like a seriously good idea for Scotland.

JUDITH GILLESPIE Findhorn Place, Edinburgh