HC Deb 23 January 1958 vol 580 cc192-3W
Mr. Brockway

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies what success the Desert Locust Committee has had in the destruction of the swarms of desert locusts invading 1,000 square miles of Somaliland and north-east Kenya.

Mr. Lennox-Boyd

Very extensive ground control operations were carried out against 1,000 square miles of locusts, as they bred, by teams of the East Africa High Commission Desert Locust Survey and of the Governments of Ethiopia and Somalia. As a result of these operations the young swarms which formed are thought to total only several hundred square miles; had there been no control measures, the progeny swarms might have totalled several thousand square miles. The limited number of young swarms are now at the extreme north-eastern tip of Kenya and neighbouring parts of Ethiopia and Somalia, where they are being watched by aircraft. Although reconnaissance is still in progress and all areas have not yet been covered in detail, it seems that any further invasion of Kenya and Tanganyika may be on a limited scale and that any damage which may occur will be restricted.

Her Majesty's Government much appreciate the close co-operation which the East Africa High Commission have received at all levels from the Governments of Ethiopia and Somalia.

Forward to