ISSUES
: Our Changing Population
Chapter 1: Population in the UK
13
Britain is not ready for the coming
population boom
Our bulging kingdom will soon hold 70 million people, but there is no certainty that
its government has a plan for their welfare.
By Telegraph View
I
n 1996, when the population of England was 49
million, it was projected to be around 51 million
today. The latest figures from the Office for National
Statistics show that it now stands at just over 54 million.
We are seeing the fastest growth in population since
the post-war baby boom, when a high birth rate was
something to be encouraged, since countries whose
populations stagnate and decline have a bleak future.
Historically, a rising population meant more people
available to work – and a bigger economy brought
greater wealth. But the drivers of the current rise are
different from those of the past.
The principal motor is immigration, both directly
through new arrivals and indirectly through a higher
birth rate among younger settlers. A secondary cause is
longevity. The median age (at which half the population
is younger and half older) is now 40, the highest ever.
The problem with the inaccuracy of past demographic
forecasts is that little or no preparation was made for
a population of the size it is now. This is essentially
a problem for England – which is one of the most
densely populated large countries in the world – and
particularly for London and the South East, where most
of the growth has occurred. The pressure on transport
infrastructure, education, healthcare and other services
is apparent to anyone who lives or works there.
On current trends the population for the UK will reach
70 million in 2027. Over a period of 20 years it will
have risen by the same amount it increased in the
previous 60. Unless this is going to be stopped, and
it is hard to see how it will be, then it is incumbent
on the Government to provide the schools, roads and
hospitals to cope with the numbers. Recent experience
of Westminster’s capacity for long-term planning does
not leave much room for encouragement.
25 June 2015
Ö
Ö
The above information is reprinted with kind
permission from
The Telegraph
. Please visit www.
telegraph.co.uk for further information.
© Telegraph Media Group Limited 2015
“We are seeing the fastest growth in
population since the post-war baby
boom, when a high birth rate was
something to be encouraged”
