New birth figures to mothers born overseas revealed

Data published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that in 2019 there were 378 births recorded in Telford and Wrekin, or 18.7 per cent of deliveries slightly up from 17.6 per cent in 2018.

Overall, 2,021 Telford and Wrekin women gave birth last year, a decrease from 2018.

Of those born in 2019, 183 were from mothers born in EU countries, a further eight were from European countries outside of the EU, with 91 from the Middle East and Asia, 89 from Africa and seven from elsewhere.

In Shropshire there were 242 or 9.4 per cent of births recorded to mothers not born in Britain, slightly down from 10 per cent of births in 2018.

Overall, 2,587 Shropshire women gave birth last year, a decrease from 2018.

Of those born in 2019, 151 were from mothers born in EU countries, a further nine were from European countries outside of the EU, 47 from the Middle East and Asia, 18 from Africa and 17 from elsewhere.

In Powys there were 80 births or 7.7 per cent of deliveries, slightly down from 7.9 per cent in 2018.

Overall, 1,034 Powys women gave birth in 2019, a decrease from 2018. Of those born in 2019, 50 were from mothers born in EU countries, four were from European countries outside of the EU, 14 from the Middle East and Asia, four from Africa and eight from elsewhere.

The figures include long-time residents who moved here when they were younger, as well as those who moved here more recently.

Across England and Wales, the proportion of births to foreign-born mothers rose slightly from 28.2 per cent to 28.7 per cent last year – the highest rate since records began in 1969 and continuing a general long-term increase.

The ONS said a rise in the proportion of births to foreign born mothers "coincides with increases in immigration since the 1990s, where more international migrants have entered the UK for work and study reasons".

It added that migration had contributed to the number of births remaining higher than the number of deaths, despite fertility rates nearing their lowest level since records began.

A recent report by migration and justice statistics specialist at the House of Commons Library, Georgina Sturge said the migrant population was mainly concentrated in London with more than a third of people who were born abroad living in the capital.

In the Brent area of London, 75 per cent of newborns had mothers born overseas, while in Staffordshire Moorlands the figure was 3.4 per cent.

Poland was the most common country of birth for mothers born outside the UK, while Pakistan was the most popular country of birth among fathers born abroad.

There were around 640,000 births in the two countries last year. This was down from 657,000 in 2018.