Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implication for his policies of the joint statement of 15 September 2023 by the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy and the Pharmacists’ Defence Association entitled Conflict, natural disaster and the risk of rising resistance.

The joint statement was right to highlight antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as a pressing global challenge, including in conflict-affected countries and natural disasters. The FCDO champions action through its diplomacy and bilateral and multilateral investments to better prevent, detect and respond to AMR, supporting stronger health and water, sanitation and hygiene systems and tackling infectious and vaccine-preventable diseases. In 2022, the UK provided £1.1 billion in humanitarian aid, including support for Emergency Medical Team deployment. We look forward to engaging domestic and global stakeholders to identify joint action to tackle AMR at the UN High-Level Meeting on AMR in 2024.