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Armed Forces: Uniforms

Asked by Nadia WhittomeLabourMinistry of DefenceTabled Answered 7 September 2026UIN 22063

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps his Department has taken to reduce the use of fur for bearskin hats for the royal guard.

Answered by Ministry of Defence

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 23 June 2026 to Question 9641 to the hon. Friend for York Central (Mrs Maskell):

The Ministry of Defence remains committed to using human made materials to replace natural fur where they provide a suitable, affordable and sustainable alternative and continues to welcome submissions of test results, from a testing house accredited by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service, on synthetic alternatives that meet our criteria.

However, the Department has not yet identified a synthetic alternative that meets the standards required to provide an effective replacement for bearskin ceremonial caps.

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