An MP has urged the government to tighten export controls to designate important fossils as nationally significant. The call follows a Guardian investigation that revealed a Jurassic Coast collection containing hundreds of specimens, including ichthyosaurs, was sold to the Natural History Museum in Abu Dhabi for an eight‑figure sum. The collection was excavated from beaches in Dorset and had been held in the United Kingdom. The MP said existing export licensing rules do not adequately protect such material. Current regulations require licences for exporting objects of cultural or scientific importance. The proposal would create a specific category for fossils judged nationally significant. Museum officials in Abu Dhabi said the acquisition advances global research. The sale has prompted debate about the removal of scientific heritage from the UK. The government has not yet responded to the request. The proposal, if adopted, could affect future fossil exports and the criteria for designating national treasures.