HC Deb 09 November 1967 vol 753 cc1221-2
7. Mr. Wall

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if he will make a statement on the progress of the 400,000 acre resettlement scheme in Kenya which is largely financed by British loans.

Mr. Prentice

In order to give the hon. Gentleman as much information as I can, I am circulating a statement in the OFFICIAL REPORT.

Mr. Wall

I am grateful to the right hon. Gentleman for that Answer. Can he say whether most of the problems, which we have debated, in regard to valuation and the fairness of valuation, have been resolved? Does he agree that valuation has to be seen to be fair as well as being fair?

Mr. Prentice

As the hon. Gentleman said, these matters have been debated considerably in the House. We have often stated our confidence in the professional valuers in Kenya who are doing this work. I am looking forward to meeting the hon. Gentleman next week, when we will be able to discuss these matters at length.

Following is the statement: As the hon. Gentleman knows, this programme is in three parts. Preliminary inquiries are presently being made by the Kenya Ministry of Lands and Settlement of potential vendors in the O1 Arabel and Londiani areas with a view to the possible purchase of some 16,000 and 14,000 acres respectively for low and medium density settlement schemes. So far as private purchases are concerned, the Kenya Agricultural Finance Corporation and Land Bank has now issued loans totalling £110,765 for the purchase of farms belonging to citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies. Under the first year of the Kenya Agricultural Development Corporation's purchase programme, 25 out of 36 offers have been accepted and four more offers to complete this programme are now under consideration by potential vendors. The Agricultural Development Corporation has recently issued letters to 66 farmers in the Molo and Trans Nzoia areas asking them if they wish to be included in the Second-Year Programme.