5. Mr. ROBINSONasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs if he has any information about the recent visitation of locusts in Egypt and the Sudan and the effect, if any, on the cotton crop?
§ Sir A. CHAMBERLAINYes, Sir, locusts have been generally reported in the provinces in Egypt, but control has been effective and no damage has been done to the cotton crop. No locusts have yet been reported in the Sudan. The prospect of the appearance of large numbers of these insects was foreseen last autumn. An offer of co-operation by the Royal Air Force in spraying operations was made to and, it is understood, accepted by the then Egyptian Government. Experiments with crop dusting apparatus have since been carried out, but aeroplanes have not yet been used against the locusts.