AS Parliament rises for the summer, we are busy finishing off all the leftover Parliamentary business, before a busy summer of work away from Westminster. It has certainly been a very busy and eventful Parliamentary term, with great progress preparing the UK to leave the EU next year, and fantastic commitments to our NHS and public services.

I have made many ministerial visits, but can’t remember being as happy to jump on a train as I was when I recently travelled to Liverpool to attend the ‘Hull in the Water’ ceremony of the Royal Research Vessel Sir David Attenborough, along with Sir David himself. The ship, aka “Boaty McBoatface”, captured the imagination of people up and down the country as the largest civilian shipbuilding project in Britain in 30 years, backed by £200 million of government funding. I am proud that this world leading ship is being built here by British shipbuilders in Merseyside, at the famous Cammell-Laird yard, securing hundreds of jobs and apprenticeships.

The state-of-the-art ship, equipped with on board laboratories and cutting edge technologies to monitor polar activity, will enable more ambitious expeditions to reach previously inaccessible areas of the Antarctic and Arctic, allowing UK researchers and international collaborators to tackle global issues including climate change, future sea level rises and marine biodiversity. Sir David made a stirring speech about the vital need to understand what is happening at the Poles, as we will all be affected by the melting of the icecaps and the changes in ocean currents that could result. As the country that has dominated polar exploration and science, it was wonderful to see this great legacy strengthened through this investment, and indescribably wonderful to spend time with Sir David - the gentleman who arguably has done more to inspire us to cherish and improve the natural environment than anyone else in the UK.