§ 21. Mr. F. Harrisasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will give information, up to the latest possible date, of the average monthly number of Europeans who are leaving Kenya permanently and the corresponding number of new and permanent European immigrants into Kenya.
§ The Secretary of State for the Colonies (Mr. Iain Macleod)The latest figures I have available are for 1960, when permanent European emigration totalled 1,802 and permanent European immigration 1,733. Monthly emigration only once exceeded 200 persons, and twice fell short of 100; immigration was between 100 and 200 in all save one month.
§ Mr. HarrisI am rather surprised by that reply, but it was a very pleasant reply. As 85 per cent. of the economy of Kenya is dependent on the efforts of the Europeans in Kenya and upon those efforts depend the maximum employment of people of all races and their standard of living, what has my right hon. Friend in mind not only to encourage those people to remain in Kenya and to continue to make their homes there, but to send to Kenya further people to assist in the great work which has to be done there?
§ Mr. MacleodI, too, am very glad to see that the figures are steadier than some reports may have led us to believe. I entirely agree about the enormous importance of European agriculture, which is the backbone of the whole economy of Kenya. I am sure that the progress which we have been making in the last day or so in forming a stable Government for Kenya is an essential part of the process of seeing that people of all races have a future there.
§ Mr. CallaghanWill the Colonial Secretary give every encouragement to young men and women who are willing to go to Kenya and to serve side by side with Africans on terms of equality to do so? May I ask him not to listen to a great deal of the propaganda which is going on and which gives the impression that there is no future for that great country?
§ Mr. MacleodKenya is a great country and I am certain that it has a great future. Whatever matters we may disagree on, everyone wants to see people of all races make a home there in future.