HC Deb 07 July 1960 vol 626 cc671-3
9. Mr. Swingler

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what economic aid has been given to Kenya by the United Kingdom in the last three years; and what proposals he is now considering to stimulate the expansion of Kenya's economy.

Mr. Iain Macleod

From 1st April, 1957, to 30th June, 1960, assistance of£12,889,085 was issued to Kenya in emergency aid, colonial development and welfare grants and Exchequer loans. This excludes issues for general East African development, such as those administered by the East Africa High Commission, but includes some emergency expenditure.

Kenya received an allocation of £5 million under last year's Colonial Development and Welfare Act for the period to 31st March, 1964, and will also receive a share of the £100 million exchequer loans made available under that Act. This will include the funds which we have promised to make available for land development and resettlement. In addition, all the East African territories were relieved on 1st July of the recurrent costs of the East African Land Forces to enable them to devote additional resources to economic and social development. These forces last year cost Kenya an estimated £1,128,000.

Mr. Swingler

In view of the Minister's recent replies in the House showing the Kenya Government's inability at the moment to introduce a minimum living wage, and in view of the known unemployment existing in Nairobi and elsewhere and of the dangers of further outbreaks of lawlessness, which are obviously connected with the poverty and backwardness in Kenya, does not the right hon. Gentleman agree that further steps should be taken urgently now in order to provide full employment there and that he should give a definite date for introducing a minimum living wage.

Mr. Macleod

I do not think that full employment in that sense can be given by additional help in the form of money. The Kenya development plan is running at the rate of nearly£9 million a year, and we are planning to discuss with the Kenya Ministers over the next week or so additional help in relation to land development and resettlement, which I think is perhaps the most urgent of all developments.