• Question by: Steve O'Connell
• Meeting date: 25 March 2009

I never realised that the X26 was going to reach such an iconic status in the London transport system. It is a rich joy to travel on that bus. I share Valerie's concerns about the lack of extension of the Tube to Upper Norwood. I share that although I did not share the platform with you the other evening. Mr Mayor, would you not agree that the earlier questioning does belie perhaps a lack of understanding around what the Outer London Commission is going to deliver and a lack of understanding around what a growth hub would actually be? Would...

• Question by: Caroline Pidgeon
• Meeting date: 25 March 2009

An issue that is often raised with me in outer London is the zoning system and there are huge anomalies in different parts of London and, obviously, that has a cost to Londoners. Have you asked your Outer London Commission to look at these issues?

• Question by: Andrew Boff
• Meeting date: 25 March 2009

Mr Mayor, absolutely. I think you will get unanimity on this Assembly about the amount of money that is shifted out of London in order to prop up the economy in the rest of the country. You are right; it is London that is the engine of the United Kingdom. Can you assure me, however, with regard to small businesses, that you will look into any part of the GLA group that may choose this time to increase rents for small businesses?

• Question by: Len Duvall OBE
• Meeting date: 25 March 2009

Can you tell me, just to remind us, on the ten academies, they are new academies but they are not new schools are they? Can you just clarify that? Or will some be new schools?

• Question by: Jenny Jones
• Meeting date: 25 March 2009

Do you remember, when we discussed this before, that a majority of this Assembly actually voted to support you on the amnesty for illegal immigrants and I just want to reiterate that some of us are totally behind you, if not in front of you, leading the charge on that. So we are very happy. Are you still happy to work together with the Assembly to make some sort of joint case for the Government so that we can keep pushing on this?

• Question by: Jenny Jones
• Meeting date: 25 March 2009

Good morning, Mr Mayor. You probably know that at the moment the social housing waiting list is actually 350 households. That is probably over one million people.

• Question by: Nicky Gavron
• Meeting date: 25 March 2009

I just want to come back to the question of the DLCG so called hold up. Is it not Richard Blakeway's job to liaise with DCLG?

• Question by: Brian Coleman
• Meeting date: 25 February 2009

On the subject of Select Committees, do you think that the proposals that are floating around the Palace of Westminster for the creation of a London Select Committee are entirely unnecessary and will you advise your former colleagues in the House of Commons that frankly this Assembly is the body that should do the scrutiny of London affairs and that parliamentary colleagues I am sure are busy enough dealing with world crises and they can leave London to us?

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 25 February 2009

You have listed a number of initiatives to Murad that you say will improve air quality but there are four key things that you have done which will make the situation worse: scrapping the western extension of the Congestion Charge with the potential of a 15% increase in pollution within the zone; scrapping the half yearly inspections for black cabs; and over 2,000 black cabs failed the pollution test. How is that improving air quality? Replacing bendy buses on route 38. TfL's own figures show that PM10 emissions are up by a third as well as the issue of cancelling...

• Question by: James Cleverly
• Meeting date: 25 February 2009

Not so long ago I criticised the leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on the Assembly for having a blasé attitude towards small business and I am horrified that it seems that the Labour Group are queuing up behind him to condemn financially a number of small businesses across London. I think few people would have many arguments with the implementation of phases 1 and 2 of the Low Emission Zone but the simple truth of the matter is that mainly affected the larger logistics companies who had the opportunity to purchase newer vehicles which tend to be high mileage...