Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the water shortages in Uruguay; and what support they are providing to that country, together with international partners.

We are closely monitoring the drought in Uruguay, and have updated our Travel Advice. Rainfall since 8 July has increased water reserves, but dams are still only approximately 7 percent full. The Government of Uruguay has taken emergency measures, including suspending VAT on bottled water and providing free bottled water to vulnerable people, and recognises that longer term work is needed. The British Embassy in Montevideo is in close contact with Uruguay's National Sanitation Company, OSE, and is exploring opportunities for UK commercial expertise to support Uruguay to build the modern infrastructure, technical capacities and strategic resilience needed in the longer-term.