The comparison between rich and poor is stark

The statistics have been revealed as NHS Greater Glasgow and the city council launch a plan to reduce teenage parenthood by appointing a Teenage Pregnancy Co-ordinator.

Similar co-ordinator posts have already been created in England, where teenage pregnancy rates have dropped for three consecutive years.

Catriona Renfrew, director of planning and community for NHS Glasgow, said this was due to increased knowledge and better sexual health services for young people.

The new postholder in Glasgow will develop an action plan to address the needs of young parents along with improving access to family planning.

"We have an ambitious but realistic vision of reducing unwanted teenage pregnancies, particularly in 13-15-year-olds," she said.

We have an ambitious but realistic vision of reducing unwanted teenage pregnancies, particularly in 13-15-year-olds. Catriona Renfrew NHS Glasgow

"We aim for a 20% increase in the proportion of teenage mums in education until the age of 17 and consequently a 20% reduction in teenage parents who are fully dependent on benefits.

"Another crucial ambition is to reduce the number of youths who have children on the social work 'at risk' register and increase the aspirations of those most likely to experience underage pregnancy."

Scotland has one of the highest rate of unwanted pregnancies in Europe, which prompted the Scottish Executive last year to create a panel of experts to investigate this and the problem of sexually transmitted diseases.

A survey published by the Scottish Executive earlier this year said that more than three-quarters of Scotland's most deprived areas were in Glasgow.

The statistics are contained in a report by FMR for Greater Glasgow NHS Board entitled 'Getting it Together: A Sexual Health Strategy for Young People in Greater Glasgow'.