Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the reduction in UK aid spending on the (a) development of water, sanitation, and hygiene infrastructure in low- and middle-income countries and (b) spread of antimicrobial resistance in those countries between 2020 and 2021.

Despite reductions in UK aid spending, FCDO continues to support the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) sector through bilateral and multilateral channels. To maximise our impact, the nature of our support is changing from direct delivery to helping governments strengthen the core systems used to deliver sustainable, resilient and inclusive WASH services at scale. Stronger systems increase access to WASH in health facilities, promoting better hygiene and reducing the risks of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Additionally, FCDO supports a wide range of activities to control AMR, including drug resistance surveys, surveillance systems, supporting infection prevention and control programmes, funding innovations and promoting good antibiotic stewardship practices.