Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of tests conducted by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) in April 2022 on the drying rate and compression properties of faux bear fur for the ceremonial caps worn by the Queen’s Guard; whether those results meet Ministry of Defence requirements; and if so, whether they will now consider introducing faux fur for ceremonial caps.

We are aware that there may have been further testing conducted on this artificial fur in April 2022, however the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and its business partner Leidos are not parties to this research and cannot therefore comment on these test results.

Previous analysis of testing conducted on the faux fur fabric showed it met only one of the five requirements necessary to be considered as a viable alternative for ceremonial caps. Whilst it met the basic standard for water absorption, it showed unacceptable rates of water shedding and performed poorly on the visual assessment. As the artificial fur didn't meet the standards required for a ceremonial cap which is worn throughout the year and in all weathers, the MOD has no plans to take this fake fur fabric forward.