A move to provide more support for industrial museums is being backed by the National Coal Mining Museum.

The museum at Caphouse, near Grange Moor, is supporting the launch of an all-Party parliamentary group on industrial heritage, which would aim to highlight the importance of industrial museums, heritage centres and other organisations such as preserved railways.

The new group is the brainchild of Mary Creagh, Labour MP for Wakefield – where the coal mining museum is located – and Shadow Transport Secretary.

The new group will be chaired by Dave Anderson, Labour MP for Blaydon, with Nigel Adams, Conservative MP for Selby and Ainsty, acting as secretary and Kevan Jones, Labour MP for North Durham, as treasurer.

It will be a north-south operation with its secretariat provided jointly by the National Coal Mining Museum for England and Kent County Council, with support from the National Museums and Galleries of Wales and the National Mining Museum Scotland.

The group now has 48 MPs and seven peers as members.

Mr Anderson said: “We already have plenty of interest from MPs across the country with heritage sites in their constituencies.

“We will meet four times a year, with an annual excursion to a place of interest to the industrial heritage. The partnership between MPs and heritage groups will highlight their contribution to society and the economy.

Ms Creagh said “The arts and creative industries are a Great British success story. The National Coal Mining Museum for England is a powerful symbol of our city’s history and an important resource for schools. Our new parliamentary group will be a strong voice for Wakefield’s and Britain’s industrial heritage”.