Alex Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Defence
The below Parliamentary question was asked by Alex Cunningham on 2016-01-04.
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how much his Department has spent on research and development to find a synthetic alternative to bear pelts for the making of bearskins and other associated headgear containing real fur in each of the last 10 years.
Mr Philip Dunne
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not buy bear pelts; it buys ceremonial caps direct from suppliers who source pelts from animals culled as part of a programme to manage the wild population licensed by the Canadian government. Animal welfare standards relating to the bear cull are a matter for the Canadian government.
The MOD also purchases coney skin (rabbit fur) for the Royal Engineers’ and Royal Signals’ busby and fox fur for the Royal Horse Artillery, Kings Troop Officers’ busby. The current contract requires a commitment to sustainable procurement.
Depending on usage and maintenance, bearskin busbys can last for up to 50 years. The coney skin and fox fur busbys have indefinite lifespans if properly maintained.
|
Calendar Year |
Cost of Bearskin Busby Headgear (£) |
Financial Year |
Cost of Coney Skin Busby Headgear (£) |
Cost of Fox Fur Busby Headgear(£) |
|
2005 |
Not held |
2005-06 |
1,532 |
0 |
|
2006 |
Not held |
2006-07 |
0 |
1,472 |
|
2007 |
Not held |
2007-08 |
0 |
0 |
|
2008 |
31,319 |
2008-09 |
9,173 |
406 |
|
2009 |
148,891 |
2009-10 |
0 |
0 |
|
2010 |
131,886 |
2010-11 |
0 |
0 |
|
2011 |
90,822 |
2011-12 |
0 |
861 |
|
2012 |
126,087 |
2012-13 |
1,779 |
861 |
|
2013 |
65,108 |
2013-14 |
0 |
0 |
|
2014 |
136,671 |
2014-15 |
10,257 |
1,899 |
|
2015 |
149,379 |
2015-16 |
2,558 |
0 |
All figures are rounded to the nearest pound.
|
Calendar Year |
Number of Bearskin Busby Headgear |
Financial Year |
Number of Coney Skin Busby Headgear |
Number of Busby Headgear made of Fox Fur |
|
2005 |
Not held |
2005-06 |
4 |
0 |
|
2006 |
Not held |
2006-07 |
0 |
2 |
|
2007 |
Not held |
2007-08 |
0 |
0 |
|
2008 |
35 |
2008-09 |
22 |
1 |
|
2009 |
195 |
2009-10 |
0 |
0 |
|
2010 |
158 |
2010-11 |
0 |
0 |
|
2011 |
99 |
2011-12 |
0 |
1 |
|
2012 |
126 |
2012-13 |
4 |
1 |
|
2013 |
63 |
2013-14 |
0 |
0 |
|
2014 |
127 |
2014-15 |
20 |
2 |
|
2015 |
122 |
2015-16 |
5 |
0 |
Historically the MOD has undertaken a number of trials on synthetic alternatives to bear skin but none of these matched the properties of the natural material. No trialling has taken place since 2007. Information about costs of these trials is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. In 2012 the Ministry of Defence loaned a sample bearskin to the animal rights organisation, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, to aid its research and development programme on a synthetic alternative.
There has been no research and development carried out to find a synthetic alternative to coney skin or fox fur.
