Thank you to everyone who has contacted me about animal testing and the King’s Guards’ caps.

I support the phasing out of animal testing entirely and stopping pain for animals during such procedures in the meantime. It need not be a binary choice between animal and human welfare.

I believe the Government should undertake a comprehensive review, with a view to improving practice, limiting animal suffering and increasing transparency, and a long-term objective to phase out animal testing entirely.

I am proud the then UK Government banned cosmetics testing on animals in 1997, extending this to cosmetic ingredients in 1998. I remain firmly committed to this ban.

Improvements over recent years to animal testing practices are welcome. Non-animal methods and technologies for research have also advanced over time and I want to see more of these developed, validated and used. However, I remain concerned at the lack of transparency around animal testing project licence applications. I further think we should investigate ending the permittance of ‘severe’ suffering as defined in UK legislation.

Regarding the King’s Guards’ caps, I recognise concerns about the use of bearskins by the military. I support both the armed forces and high animal welfare standards. I strongly believe no bear should be hunted or killed to order for use by the Ministry of Defence. It is incredibly important that traditions develop and adapt to ensure they survive.

The Government has said its suppliers source pelts made available by the Canadian authorities following a licensed cull to manage the wild bear population, and that there are strict laws and regulations to protect against unlawful trade in black bears within Canada and internationally.

I would like to see the Government conduct a review of alternatives to bear fur, examining contracts, looking at costs and speaking directly to troops so their views inform future decisions.

It says its analysis of testing of the ECOPEL material showed it met only one of the five requirements it considers necessary to be a viable alternative. I understand there are no plans to take it forward as a replacement material. I would like to see the Government publish the data and analysis to substantiate these claims.

Thank you once again to all those who have contacted me about these issues.