• Question by: Onkar Sahota
• Meeting date: 13 October 2022

Dr Onkar Sahota AM: Yes, this is about health. Look, I am concerned that we are building new hospitals here, but this is not a back door way for reducing the number of beds in London. The real issue we have is the number of beds and that the hospital rebuilding programme is not used to cut the number of beds in London, because we have the lowest number of beds in Europe for the population we have. The reason I came to London Assembly was to run a campaign against the closure of [hospitals in] West London. I hope...

• Question by: Unmesh Desai
• Meeting date: 13 October 2022

Unmesh Desai AM: Chair, yes. I will rush this question, I am not sure how much time I have left. Mr Mayor, the Jewish community press today has expressed anger over the police dropping investigations into two appalling anti‑Semitic incidents, one in central London and one in Golder’s Green. We now know that although the Commissioner [of Police of the Metropolis] told us yesterday that the investigation was continuing, it has actually been dropped. We talked about trust and confidence earlier in this session. This does not help rebuild trust. Will you urgently look into this matter and get the...

• Question by: Keith Prince
• Meeting date: 13 October 2022

Keith Prince AM: Thank you, Chair. Good morning, Mr Mayor. You said earlier, quite rightly, that as a result of certain actions small businesses will have to pay the price, and we have seen from the report by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) that indeed if you were to introduce the ULEZ later next year, up to one in five small businesses will be directly impacted by that and many will choose to leave London or indeed close. Do you think that is an acceptable price to pay?

• Question by: Neil Garratt
• Meeting date: 13 October 2022

Neil Garratt AM: Good morning, Mr Mayor. You might remember, funnily enough, I asked you about the Jacobs report in July [2022] and you did not seem very familiar with it. However, in June I asked you, “What should somebody do if they cannot afford the £12.50 daily ULEZ charge that you are imposing, and they cannot afford a new car, but they do need their car to get around?” and your response, I am sure you will remember, in June, was that they should fill in your consultation, which is what we have just been talking about. Since June...

• Question by: Peter Fortune
• Meeting date: 13 October 2022

Peter Fortune AM: Thank you, Chair. With respect, what is stressing the Conservatives is the notion that many Londoners’ voices have been squashed. That is what the concern is. Mr Mayor, referring back to the report that was in The Telegraph, can I ask, have you seen or been briefed on the results of the consultation?

• Question by: Leonie Cooper
• Meeting date: 13 October 2022

Léonie Cooper AM: Yes, thank you very much, Chair. It is just on the point of transparency. I am not sure that any consultation has ever been released before the full analysis has been done. I do not remember that happening. However, in terms of the point on transparency I just wanted to raise with you, which obviously seems to be stressing the Conservatives in the Chamber today, I am thinking back to very shortly after when you were elected in May 2017. On 17 May, you published a report that you found when you arrived in City Hall that...

• Question by: Unmesh Desai
• Meeting date: 13 October 2022

Unmesh Desai AM: Mr Mayor, supporting victims, as I understand it, is one of the key features of your strategy to combat VAWG. As Mayor, you have appointed a Victims’ Commissioner for London and you have provided significant funding for victims’ services during your mayorship. Could you tell us a bit more about her role currently? You did not refer to her specifically in your finely detailed answer. Secondly, you have given examples of your public health approach to tackling this particular issue but, for the benefit of Londoners listening in and for our audience here today, could you explain...

• Question by: Lord Bailey of Paddington
• Meeting date: 13 October 2022

Shaun Bailey AM: Good morning, Mr Mayor. I just want to look at this thing about violence. Fortunately, through the pandemic we saw a significant reduction in knife crime over that period, but we have seen a bit of a rise, now a 10% rise. What specific work are you doing around keeping knives off the streets?

• Question by: Krupesh Hirani
• Meeting date: 13 October 2022

Krupesh Hirani AM: Thank you, Mr Mayor. Assembly Member Cooper was at a Sustain food conference yesterday on healthy food and healthy living and was astonished to see this issue being raised in this way again. You have already referred to the facts and the evidence and the peer‑reviewed evidence that has come out on this policy. You would not reverse the smoking ban inside public places, which has proven to have had a positive public health impact on individuals across the country. Why does Assembly Member Boff, do you feel, think it is appropriate to review policies that are...

• Question by: Keith Prince
• Meeting date: 21 July 2022

Keith Prince AM: Thank you, Chair. Thank you, Mayor. Can I echo your words in relation to the praise of our blue light services? I did actually write to the Fire Chief asking about a water bowser for Wennington [Fire Station]. As you know, Wennington nearly got involved with the fire; certainly they were involved in relation to the staff, but the actual fire encroached on to their land. Would you, Mr Mayor, just ask again if they would reconsider the provision of a water bowser for Wennington, please?