Asked by: Brian Leishman (Labour - Alloa and Grangemouth)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on signing the Eurofima treaty.
Answered by Uma Kumaran - Assistant Whip
The Secretary of State has not held discussions with the Secretary of State for Transport on EUROFIMA.
Asked by: Brian Leishman (Labour - Alloa and Grangemouth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer, ahead of the rolling stock procurement and infrastructure strategy on the use of alternative financing models to secure publicly owned trains.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Department for Transport officials hold regular discussions with HM Treasury officials on a range of matters, including in relation to the procurement of rolling stock. However, no discussions have taken place between the Secretary of State for Transport and the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the use of alternative financing models to fund the purchase of new trains.
Asked by: Brian Leishman (Labour - Alloa and Grangemouth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of raising awareness of naloxone amongst people at risk of opioid overdose.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Further to the answer provided to the Hon Member for Warrington North on 5 September 2025 in response to Question 69426, the Department launched a media campaign to raise awareness of the risks posed by new drug trends and products including adulteration of counterfeit medicines with other drugs like synthetic opioids. The Department has distributed resources to local public health teams, drug and alcohol treatment services, youth services, schools, and universities.
In addition, further to the answer provided to the Hon Member for Cheadle on 16 March 2026 in response to Question 116356, the Department has now analysed responses to the consultation seeking views on further legislative options to expand access to take-home and emergency use naloxone and will set out next steps soon.
Asked by: Brian Leishman (Labour - Alloa and Grangemouth)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what specific measures have been implemented since 2024 to raise awareness among at-risk populations, including people sleeping rough and socially isolated people, about the dangers of synthetic opioids.
Answered by Diana Johnson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Further to the answer provided to the Hon Member for Warrington North on 5 September 2025 in response to Question 69426, the Department launched a media campaign to raise awareness of the risks posed by new drug trends and products including adulteration of counterfeit medicines with other drugs like synthetic opioids. The Department has distributed resources to local public health teams, drug and alcohol treatment services, youth services, schools, and universities.
In addition, further to the answer provided to the Hon Member for Cheadle on 16 March 2026 in response to Question 116356, the Department has now analysed responses to the consultation seeking views on further legislative options to expand access to take-home and emergency use naloxone and will set out next steps soon.
Asked by: Brian Leishman (Labour - Alloa and Grangemouth)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his Israeli counterpart on oil exploration in Palestinian waters off the coast of the occupied Gaza Strip.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I have not had discussions with my Israeli counterpart specifically on oil exploration in Palestinian waters off the coast of Gaza.
We support efforts to promote Palestinian economic development and long-term stability and continue to work with international partners to advance peace and security for both Israelis and Palestinians.
The UK remains committed to a two-state solution, with a safe and secure Israel living alongside a viable and sovereign Palestinian state.
Asked by: Brian Leishman (Labour - Alloa and Grangemouth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure that adequate levels of aviation fuel are available to airports in Scotland.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government is working closely with industry and regulators to monitor supply and maintain the resilience of supply chains. There are currently no aviation fuel shortages affecting airports in the UK. We remain in regular contact with the Scottish Government and other Devolved Governments to ensure we are ready to respond in a coordinated manner should disruption arise.
Asked by: Brian Leishman (Labour - Alloa and Grangemouth)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what support his Department has provided to improving workers' rights in Northern Ireland, in the context of the time taken for the Northern Ireland Executive to implement its Good Jobs Bill.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
Employment Rights policy is transferred in Northern Ireland. Officials and Ministers from the Department for Business and Trade engage regularly with counterparts in the Northern Ireland Executive on our respective plans to improve workers’ rights. For example, by working together on the Employment Rights Act, we expanded eligibility for statutory sick pay in Northern Ireland by removing the lower earnings limit and waiting period, so it became a day-one entitlement.
Asked by: Brian Leishman (Labour - Alloa and Grangemouth)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the Good Jobs Bill.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
Employment Rights policy is transferred in Northern Ireland. Officials and Ministers from the Department for Business and Trade engage regularly with counterparts in the Northern Ireland Executive on our respective plans to improve workers’ rights. The UK Government is proud to be delivering its Plan to Make Work Pay, which will strengthen workers’ rights and improve protections for over 18 million workers across Great Britain - the biggest upgrade to rights at work in a generation.
Asked by: Brian Leishman (Labour - Alloa and Grangemouth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many merchant seafarers have been winched to safety from commercial vessels in (a) territorial and (b) international waters on the UK Continental Shelf by HM Coastguard Search and Rescue helicopters in each year since 2015.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The winching systems on search and rescue (SAR) helicopters have a limit on their load capacity which has been further reduced by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) imposed limit for the carriage of ‘human external cargo’. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) do not have additional operational limits on these winching systems and the rescue coordination centre will follow operational procedures for any SAR response.
The total number of individuals winched from offshore energy installations by HM Coastguard SAR aircraft since 2021 is 57. This includes 55 from oil and gas and two related to offshore wind. The oil and gas figure of 55 includes 29 evacuated from a semi-submersible.
From January 2021 to June 2026, SAR helicopters rescued 927 people from commercial vessels. The role of the person rescued is not routinely recorded.
Asked by: Brian Leishman (Labour - Alloa and Grangemouth)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s policies on the operational limits of Search and Rescue winching systems on helicopters contracted to conduct offshore Search and Rescue operations.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The winching systems on search and rescue (SAR) helicopters have a limit on their load capacity which has been further reduced by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) imposed limit for the carriage of ‘human external cargo’. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) do not have additional operational limits on these winching systems and the rescue coordination centre will follow operational procedures for any SAR response.
The total number of individuals winched from offshore energy installations by HM Coastguard SAR aircraft since 2021 is 57. This includes 55 from oil and gas and two related to offshore wind. The oil and gas figure of 55 includes 29 evacuated from a semi-submersible.
From January 2021 to June 2026, SAR helicopters rescued 927 people from commercial vessels. The role of the person rescued is not routinely recorded.