Divorce rates hit 30-year low and more couples wed

DIVORCE rates in Scotland have fallen to their lowest level for 30 years, while the number of people getting married rose by nearly 1,000 last year, newly released figures have revealed.

There were 28,480 marriages in Scotland in 2010 - 956 more than in 2009, when the figure plummeted to its lowest level since 1855.

Divorces dropped from 478 to 9,893, according to the figures from the General Register of Scotland. The last time the figure was so low was in 1980, when 9,068 divorces were recorded.

The figures sparked a call from senior Tory MSP Alex Johnstone for action to promote marriage in Scotland to "ensure Scotland's marriage rate continues to rise".

The news came as the General Register of Scotland figures also showed that two of the country's three "biggest killers" claimed fewer lives in 2010 than during the previous year.

Deaths from coronary heart disease fell by 2.1 per cent and stroke deaths by 2.7 per cent. There were 81 more deaths from cancer - a 0.5 per cent increase.

Meanwhile, the statistics also showed Scotland's population had shrunk, with 254 fewer births and 111 more deaths than in 2009.

The number of births registered in 2010 was 58,792, and the number of deaths 53,967.

It was the fifth year in a row in which fewer deaths than births were registered.

Registrar General for Scotland Duncan Macniven confirmed there had been an increase in marriages.

He said: "We saw an increase in the number of marriages in Scotland in 2010.

"At 28,480, the total for the year was 956 higher than in 2009, but still 423 fewer than in 2008. The number of divorces fell to 9,893.

"This is not unexpected - the Family Law (Scotland) Act 2006, which came into effect on 4 May 2006, reduced separation periods for divorce, so there was an increase of over 2,000 divorces in 2006, followed by decreases in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.

"The average of these five years is about 11,500, which is slightly higher than the levels recorded immediately before the change in legislation."

Tory MSP Mr Johnstone said: "The figures showing an increase in marriage are welcome and as someone who has been happily married for many years, I hope the figure continues to increase.

"Marriage is one of the bedrocks of Scottish society and it provides stability for people, so the increase is particularly welcome.

"For this to happen, the UK and Scottish governments should do all they can to promote marriage, whether through financial incentives for those considering getting married or through simply being supportive of it."

Mr Macniven also said fewer deaths than births were registered during 2010."There were almost 59,000 births and almost 54,000 deaths in 2010 - the fifth year in a row when fewer deaths than births were registered," he said.

"Compared with 2009, the number of deaths rose by just over 100 and there were around 250 fewer births.

"The slight fall in the number of births was the second annual reduction, after six consecutive annual increases."

The figures from the General Register of Scotland also showed that the number of still births in Scotland dropped from 317 to 291 in 2010.

Scotland's infant deaths also fell, from 235 in 2009 to 218 last year, with neonatal deaths also dropping from 165 to 150.

Mr Macniven explained that the coding of the causes of death was being updated, to take account of a number of changes to the World Health Organisation's "international classification of diseases and related health problems".

The statistics for the first quarter of 2011, to be published in June, will be the first to be produced using the improved coding and will be accompanied by a note on the effect of the classification changes.