Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether any of the £85 million recently announced to tackle antimicrobial resistance will be used to improve access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) globally, given the commitments outlined on WASH in the new national action plan, Confronting antimicrobial resistance 2024 to 2029.

The UK has committed up to £85 million in additional funding to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Of this, up to £50 million will be used to support low- and middle-income countries improve access to essential antimicrobial drugs; up to £25 million will be used to support action on AMR in the Caribbean; and up to £10 million will support a new independent science panel for AMR. It is not anticipated that these three components will directly be used to support improved water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). The UK recognises the key importance of WASH for preventing infections and thereby preventing the emergence of AMR. In 2022, the UK invested £48 million in water supply and sanitation in developing countries. For example, we fund the multi-year £18.5 million WASH Systems for Health programme, which supports governments in six developing countries to strengthen the systems that provide sustainable WASH services - a key part of reducing the global infectious disease burden.