UK’s aid cuts for clean water projects overseas criticised 

A leading charity has criticised the government's plan to reduce funding for overseas water and sanitation projects during the coronavirus pandemic after a leaked memo reveals details of cuts in the foreign aid budget.

If a leaked memo is to be believed, the funding for water, sanitation and hygiene bilateral projects will be cut by more than 80%.

According to a BBC report, WaterAid's Tim Wainwright has criticised the timing of ‘savage cuts'.

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The Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office said COVID-19 had 'forced us to take tough' decisions.

The government had also announced last year it would cut UK aid spending from 0.7% of national income to just 0.5%, which amounts to a reduction of more than £4bn - but it is yet to confirm which programmes will be affected.

The 'temporary measure' was also being defended at this time as supported by voters, with some MPs saying domestic spending should come first during the pandemic.

Meanwhile, the UK is currently moving through its domestic priority lists for COVID-19 vaccines and therefore, has no surplus doses to share with countries in need such as India at this stage, Downing Street said recently.

In reference to India's devastating second wave of the pandemic, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesperson said the process is kept under constant review, while the country sends an assistance package made up of 495 oxygen concentrators, 120 non-invasive ventilators and 20 manual ventilators to India to meet the supply shortages over the course of the week.

The first tranche of 100 ventilators and 95 oxygen concentrators arrived in New Delhi early on Tuesday.

"We committed in February to sending excess doses from the UK's supply to the COVAX procurement pool and to countries in need, once they are available," the UK PM's spokesperson said.

"Right now, we are moving through the UK prioritisation list for our domestic rollout and don't have surplus doses, but we keep this under constant review. We recognise that no one is safe until we're all safe in this pandemic which is why the UK has contributed GBP 548 million to COVAX and sent vital medical supplies to India," the spokesperson said.

(With inputs from agencies)