Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many armed forces personnel are trained in the application of paints containing Hexavalent Chromium; and on how many occasions such paint was applied to military vehicles and vessels in each year since 2013.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not have ready access to the information you have requested as it is not centrally recorded. Hexavalent chromium paint is now only used by the MOD on platforms where there is no suitable alternative and where it is absolutely necessary to maintain defence capability and safety. The MOD is alert to the health and safety risks associated with hexavalent chromate and provides guidance, safety data sheets, training and working instructions for personnel known to be working with the substance, together with personal protective equipment. The MOD has a small number of exemptions in place for known instances of hexavalent chromate application and is working hard to identify alternatives in these cases.