§ 12. Mr. StunellTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will make a statement on the steps being taken by the Government towards meeting target 10 of the UN Millennium Development Goals on the supply of potable water. [37794]
Mr. Gareth ThomasThe Government are committed to achieving the Millennium Development Goal targets on water and sanitation. These include halving, by 2015, the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and the adoption of national policies and strategies for integrated water resources management in all developing countries by 2005. In 1999–2001 the UK was the fourth largest donor in the water sector, behind Japan, the United States and Germany.
Our strategy is described in 'Addressing the Water Crisis—Healthier and More Productive Lives for Poor People',which was launched in March 2001. It stresses the importance of the improved management of water resources to benefit the lives of the world's poor. A copy has been deposited in the Library. Our development assistance is provided in response to our partner countries' needs as driven by their Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs). We are working actively with their governments to support production of PRSPs and to ensure that water and sanitation issues are adequately represented.