Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what criteria he is using to measure the suitability of faux-fur alternatives to bearskin King's Guards caps.

The Ministry of Defence remains committed to using human made materials to replace natural fur where they provide a suitable, affordable and sustainable alternative. The Department 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.

There are five initial testing criteria; water absorption, water penetration, appearance, drying rate and compression.

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