Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Brian Mathew Excerpts

Wednesday 4th March 2026 Commons Chamber

[Brian Mathew (Melksham and Devizes) (LD)]

I have to declare an interest. before coming to this place, I had a 30-year career as an aid worker, working in WASH: bringing water, sanitation and hygiene to some of the poorest people on the planet—so, yes, I am passionate about this issue, and I make no apologies for that.

A number of sectors have been assisted by UK aid—from girls’ education, health, nutrition and climate finance to disaster and war mitigation in places such as Gaza and Sudan. Since I was elected, I have had the privilege of serving on the International Development Committee, so I have had a chance to hear about the results and implications of the cuts to our aid programme, and indeed to USAID, which has been virtually destroyed, to the shame of the US Administration and the President.

Let me say a few words about the sector I know best. Even prior to the recent cuts, things have been bad for WASH. Between 2018 and 2023, the UK’s annual budget for water, sanitation and hygiene was slashed by 82%, from £206 million down to just £37 million a year. Currently, WASH represents a mere 0.71% of our bilateral aid, and I hate to think what will be left after the latest cuts are announced. In my opinion, at a time of rising humanitarian crises and need, with growing instability globally, this is not just short-sighted, but indefensible.

We cannot ignore the global water crisis: 2.1 billion people—one in four—lack access to clean water, 3.4 billion do not have a safe toilet and nearly 400,000 children under five die each year from diseases caused by unsafe water and poor sanitation. These are preventable tragedies. WASH is one of the most cost-effective ways for the UK to deliver on its international aid priorities. WASH is not peripheral to these priorities; it is foundational. It underpins progress right across the sustainable development goals, including those on health, education, gender equality and climate action. Without clean water and sanitation, children miss school; women and girls spend hours each day collecting water, limiting their education and economic opportunity; and healthcare systems cannot function, while two in five healthcare facilities globally lack basic hygiene services.

Investment in WASH is investment in global health security. It reduces the spread of disease, strengthens economic productivity, builds resilience to climate shocks and delivers long-term sustainable impact. The UK has historically been a global leader in international development, but continuing this legacy requires consistency and vision. Safe water and sanitation are not luxuries; they are the foundation on which health, prosperity and stability are built. I urge the Government to restore all aid funding, especially for WASH, and to embed it firmly within all our priorities. In doing so, we will not only save lives, but uphold the values and the global leadership that this country has historically championed—in three words, our soft power.