On the Move

In the first of a two-part documentary, Martin Geissler explores the profound impact on Scotland of the movement of people, both within the nation and of its new arrivals.

Shifts in population have profound effects on the country. Places like Inverclyde, where shipbuilding once sustained a thriving community, now face the challenge of attracting people to the area to reverse decades of population decline. Elsewhere, such as Edinburgh and the Lothians, huge housing developments are being built to meet the demands of a capital city whose population is on the up. But the fact that Scotland's population stands at a record 5.46 million isn't due to an increasing birth rate or falling death rate - it is being sustained by inward migration.

The vast majority of non Scots living in Scotland come from England and make up almost ten per cent of the population. A significant number are older and head to the highlands and islands, where they help sustain critical community services.

The next highest number are people born in Poland. However, with the ending of free movement following Brexit, Scotland may need to look further afield for the workforce needed to support health and social care services for an increasingly older population.
The high international ranking of some of Scotland's universities has attracted overseas students. One in four students at the University of Glasgow are Chinese, and parts of the city's west end have seen enormous changes in food and shops that cater specifically for that population. But while it helps the universities' coffers, if the students don't settle in Scotland after their studies, it won't help meet the challenges to come.

Recognising the vital importance of a large population of working age, the Scottish government has funded a glossy advertising campaign to attract overseas workers to the country. However, migration isn't a long term solution - housing and job opportunities are needed for new settlers, who will also require health care at some point. Analysts at the National Records of Scotland reveal that migration alone will not make up for the gap between births and deaths, which means Scotland's population could start to decline in the next decade.