HC Deb 10 November 1959 vol 613 c27W
76. Mr. Brockway

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on the proposals of the Kenya Government to extend occupation of land in the White Highlands to Africans and Asians.

Mr. J. Amery

I would refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's Answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Haltemprice (Mr Wall) on 3rd November.

Mr. Dugdale

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will give statistics regarding the Kenya White Highlands at the latest available date of record showing the total area of land remaining unalienated, the estimated proportion of this which is cultivable, and the total area of land alienated, respectively.

Mr. Iain Macleod

By 1958 about 11,572 square miles of land in the Highlands had been alienated, and about 248 square miles of land of an agricultural type, apart from the Crown forests, remained unalienated. As my hon. Friend pointed out in the adjournment debate on 30th October, 1958, much of this unalienated land is not available for cultivation, since it consists of railway and road reserves, swamps, foreshores, riparian reserves, and the craters of Longonot and Menengai. I am afraid that figures are not available to show how much of the remainder could be cultivated, and at what cost and under what conditions.

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