The protection of our planet and the sustainability of the natural world is vitally important. The world we leave to our children will be a reflection of our own generation’s stewardship of the planet.

It is essential that we begin to take steps to rectify the damage that has been inflicted through global warming and overfishing. As you say, the creation of an Antarctic Ocean Sanctuary will create a safe haven for the rich variety of wildlife that populate the world’s seas.

A sanctuary alone, however, is only the first step in how we as a country approach the protection of the environment. Alongside the protection of wildlife, we must adopt a broader strategy to combat climate change and the degradation of the oceans. At the last General Election, the Labour Party argued for the safeguarding of habitats and species in the “blue belts” of the seas and oceans. I was proud to be elected on this pledge and will lobby the Government to work with our international allies to make it a reality.