This week, I established the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which I have been elected to chair. An APPGs is a cross-party forum that allows parliamentarians to work on specific issues alongside experts in the field.

I was delighted that so many parliamentarians from different places and parties expressed an interest in working with me on World Heritage Sites. We were joined by Chris Blandford OBE, President of World Heritage UK (WHUK), which will serve as our secretariat.

Together, we will ensure our World Heritage Sites are protected, supported, and empowered to bring real growth to our local economies.

This includes the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site, the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, which runs through the heart of Mid Derbyshire.

I look forward to working with my colleagues in parliament to raise the profile of these important sites, celebrate the hardworking community groups who help to manage them, and make the case that these sites present a unique opportunity for growth.