Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether he has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of improving general service respirators for service personnel who have facial hair for religious reasons.

Acknowledging previous PQs on the same theme, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 5 February 2021, to Questions 145107 and 145108 and relating to Questions 133119,133120 and 133121, that articulated MODs historical and ongoing approach to and consideration of inclusive solutions for Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) respiratory protection, including communication of the fundamental complexities.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is committed to active encouragement and growth of research, education, and advancements in the provision of inclusive counter-CBRN capabilities. The necessity for diversity and inclusion consideration is recognized globally and features within the key requirements of MODs counter-CBRN policy, strategies, research and international engagements.

In specific response to the recent questions, it is to be highlighted that, amongst other activities, the MOD ran a targeted “Respiratory Protection and Facial Hair Compatibility Workshop” in January 2022, supported by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl). This workshop directly discussed “the potential merits of improving general service respirators for service personnel who have facial hair for religious reasons” and “the potential merits of using silicone bands on general service respirators for service personnel who have facial hair for religious reasons”.

The workshop included representation from the Diversity and Inclusion and Faith Networks and provided an opportunity to better inform the User community on the subject of respiratory protection and facial hair, focusing on the General Service Respirator (GSR).

Some of the recommendations from this workshop were incorporated into Defence Counter-CBRN policy and Defence continues to fund academic research and development programmes that explore alternative respiratory options appropriate for Service personnel who have facial hair for religious reasons.