Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking through its international development programmes to reduce maternal sepsis linked to poor hygiene conditions during childbirth.

The UK recognises the vital role that improving access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in healthcare facilities plays in preventing maternal and infant deaths, tackling antimicrobial resistance, and safeguarding women and girls.

We work with a range of international partners on this agenda, from our long-standing partnership with the World Bank on its Water Strategy Implementation Plan to supporting individual governments overseas to improve access to WASH in healthcare facilities. Details of our total WASH sector spend for 2025 will be published in the normal way later this year.