THE UK Government led the way in championing water and sanitation issues at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002 and a commitment was made by the international community to halve the proportion of people without access to safe water and sanitation by 2015.
Access to safe water and sanitation is vital in reducing poverty, improving health, education and productivity.
I am writing to you now to express my concern that the UK Government's direct overseas aid spending on water and sanitation is currently only two per cent of the total aid budget.
I am supporting WaterAid's Flush Out Poverty campaign in calling on the Department for International Development to resume its leadership role and allocate ten per cent of the UK Government's aid budget to be spent on sustainable improvements to water and sanitation for the poorest countries by 2005. I hope Swindon Evening Advertiser readers will do the same by writing to their local MP. Alternatively, concerned readers could sign WaterAid's petition on line at www.flushoutpoverty.org.uk
STEVE PAGETT
Wroughton
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