Oral Answers to Questions

Chris Kelly Excerpts

Wednesday 23rd May 2012 Commons Chamber

[Chris Kelly (Dudley South) (Con)]

2. What support his Department provides for clean water and sanitation in developing countries.

[The Secretary of State for International Development (Mr Andrew Mitchell)]

The British Government consider that access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene is among the most basic of human needs. At the recent summit in Washington, I announced this Government’s intention to double the commitment on water and sanitation that we made last year.

[Chris Kelly]

I welcome the Department’s commitment to doubling the provision of water and sanitation so that it reaches 60 million people, but will my right hon. Friend assure me that sufficient priority is now being given to sanitation? Too often in the past, priority has been given solely to the provision of clean water.

[Mr Mitchell]

My hon. Friend is entirely right to draw attention to the importance of sanitation. That is why the International Development Committee called its report on these matters “Sanitation and Clean Water” rather than referring to WASH—water, sanitation and hygiene. As he says, for every UK citizen we will provide clean water or sanitation for someone in the poor world who does not have it today. That is an important priority for Members on both sides of the House, and Britain is honouring it.