§ Mr. David Jamesasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he is aware that, notwithstanding the assurances given to Sir Julian Huxley, when he visited Uganda on behalf of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, that no further wild animals would be slaughtered in the name of Tsetse Fly Control, that the Uganda Legislative Council has just approved a further slaughter project in the Bunyoro district; if he is aware that this method of tsetse fly control has invariably failed in the past; and if he will take steps to prevent this further reduction in African wild life.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodI understand that no assurance was given. At a meeting which Sir Julian attended an official stated as an expression of hope and intention that a particular operation would be the last of its kind. This statement was made in good faith, but late in 1960 a serious and unforeseen threat to cattle country in Bunyoro from tsetse fly became apparent. Game elimination is a remedy of last resort which everyone dislikes, but the Uganda Government decided that circumstances in the area affected required the adoption of this method. The reasons for this decision were that the area is not one where game can be preserved in the200W long run, the need was urgent and insecticidal spraying would not have eliminated the fly permanently. I should not think it right to intervene in this matter.