Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the Answer of 8 December 2021 to Question 85327 on Queen's Guards: Uniforms, how much his Department has spent in total on (a) procuring the bearskin ceremonial caps worn by the Queen’s Guard and (b) seeking to develop a faux fur alternative for use in the making those caps in the last seven years.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
The below table outlines the Department’s spending on Queen’s Guards ceremonial caps over the past seven years:
Bearskins purchased by the MOD | |
Calendar Year | Cost |
2015 | £149,379 |
2016 | £240,382 |
2017 | £201,071 |
2018 | £76,206 |
2019 | £127,440 |
2020 | £145,000 |
2021 | £39,330 |
Since 2015, there have been four synthetic fur test results analysed.
Where appropriate the Ministry of Defence uses faux fur alternatives, providing they meet the specific user requirements. Currently, artificial fur does not meet the necessary requirements or perform to the standard expected of fabric to be used for the Queen’s Guards ceremonial caps.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many armed service personnel who have served in the armed forces since 2001 have died as a result of (a) suicide and (b) another cause of death.
Answered by Leo Docherty
Statistical information for suicide in the Armed Forces, from 1984 to present, is available at the following link:
Statistical information and cause of deaths in Service in general is available at the following link from 2010 to present, this includes the period 2001-2010 in the 2010 report: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/uk-armed-forces-deaths-in-service-statistics-index
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the Defence Committee’s Third Report of Session 2021–22, We’re going to need a bigger Navy, HC 168, published on 14 December 2021, what investigation has taken place to determine whether the twice replaced reactor core on HMS Vanguard is evidence of a generic defect affecting other vessels.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
I refer the hon. Member to the written statement laid in the House on 5 November 2018 by the then Secretary of State for Defence, the rightt hon. Gavin Williamson, HCWS1065.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of using faux fur as an alternative to the use of real fur in uniforms issued to personnel in the armed forces.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
Where man-made alternatives to replace natural fur items provide a suitable, affordable and sustainable alternative to animal products these will be used. For example, faux fur is now used for the smaller busby hats worn by the King's Troop. However in some instances, there is currently no viable alternative though the Department will continue to consider options for faux alternatives where available to see if they can meet our criteria.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what target date he has set for the ending of the use of fur in uniforms issued to personnel in the armed forces.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
Where man-made alternatives to replace natural fur items provide a suitable, affordable and sustainable alternative to animal products these will be used. For example, faux fur is now used for the smaller busby hats worn by the King's Troop. However in some instances, there is currently no viable alternative though the Department will continue to consider options for faux alternatives where available to see if they can meet our criteria.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to end the use of fur in uniforms issued to personnel in the armed forces.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
Where man-made alternatives to replace natural fur items provide a suitable, affordable and sustainable alternative to animal products these will be used. For example, faux fur is now used for the smaller busby hats worn by the King's Troop. However in some instances, there is currently no viable alternative though the Department will continue to consider options for faux alternatives where available to see if they can meet our criteria.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when (a) Ministers and (b) officials in his Department last met, in person or virtually, with representatives of the each of the devolved Administrations to discuss the development and implementation of the Armed Forces Covenant.
Answered by Johnny Mercer
Ministry of Defence (MOD) Ministers, officials and military officers regularly meet, and correspond, with representatives of the Devolved Administrations to discuss a range of issues.
I met with my counterparts in the Scottish and Welsh Governments in May this year to discuss proposals to strengthen the Covenant in law. The Chief of Defence People met with Ministers from the Welsh Government earlier in October. Officials met with counterparts from the Devolved Administrations on 14 October at a virtual conference hosted by the MOD to discuss the Covenant.