Safe Drinking Water

HC Deb 25 June 2002 vol 387 cc750-1W

Mr. Sheerman

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of the aid distributed by her Department in the past five years has funded the provision of safe drinking water in developing countries. [63513]

Clare Short

DFID place as much emphasis on access to appropriate sanitation as they do on access to safe water. Much of the work supported by DFID is for both water supply and sanitation, for example, support to the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council and the Water and Sanitation Program. Therefore, it is not possible to clearly apportion financial expenditure to water supply solely.

The proportion of bilateral aid commitments whose principle aim was to target safe drinking water and adequate sanitation in developing countries was 6 per cent. on average over the last five years. This represents a commitment of 3 per cent. total aid commitments on average.