§ Peter BottomleyTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development by how much and by what proportion UK international aid spending on water and sanitation will change in the next three years. [185473]
Mr. Gareth ThomasTotal bilateral expenditure on water and sanitation represents approximately 6 per cent. of the Department for International Development's (DFID's) total bilateral aid budget about £85 million per year over the last three years. DFID channels a significant proportion of its assistance278W through multilateral channels such as the European Union, the World Bank and UN organisations (£1.3 billion in 2001–02): of this DFID's contribution to water and sanitation is estimated at around £40 million per annum. DFID supports international initiatives aimed at raising the profile of water and sanitation and achieving better coordination. These include the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council; the Water and Sanitation Programme (attached to the World Bank); and the Global Water Partnership.
DFID does not budget on a sectoral basis. DFID's work and resource allocation is shaped by developing country priorities, notably through support to their poverty reduction strategies; by what other donors are doing; and by our comparative advantage. It is therefore not possible to predict with accuracy water and sanitation sector expenditures for future years. DFID recently published a Water Action Plan that outlines our commitment to ensuring that the water and sanitation targets are given the same international priority as the other MDGs.