• Question by: Steve O'Connell
• Meeting date: 13 October 2010

Mr Mayor, thank you. I am very pleased to hear your comments in answer to James and it will show well for colleagues in outer London that there is some consideration around it. I know it is not completely in your gift so I fully understand all those pieces but I would urge you to ensure that you do follow this through to make sure it does happen. I worry about - and my question to you is - what sort of signal does it send to those outer London boroughs who are footing the same bill towards policing that...

• Question by: James Cleverly
• Meeting date: 13 October 2010

Thank you, Chair. Mr Mayor, the point I was going to make has been partially made by my friend and colleague, Tony Arbour. Do you agree that it is farcical to demand that a London borough increases the number of gypsy and traveller pitches to meet the demand dictated in a report when that very borough had, at the time that that report said it needed a huge expansion in numbers, empty traveller pitches within the boundaries of the borough?

• Question by: Brian Coleman
• Meeting date: 13 October 2010

Mr Mayor, would you accept the congratulations of all Members of the Conservative group and, indeed, of all parties in the London Borough of Barnet, for your dropping of the target? Will you recall that, in Barnet, the reason we have no pitches is because the Labour/Liberal Democrat previous administration came to the conclusion there were no suitable sites and that all parties in the London Borough of Barnet --

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 13 October 2010

We on this side think you are doing absolutely the right thing on this matter. You will recall that we submitted a report to you asking that you withdraw these targets and we are happy to see that you are flexible and do, indeed, listen when you understand something that is being proposed is based on a false premise. The false premise is this: in the question Jennette Arnold refers to the Fordham report and the Fordham report was an absolute nonsense. The Fordham report, in part, was carried out by gypsies interviewing other gypsies. Clearly, there was no bias...

• Question by: Andrew Boff
• Meeting date: 13 October 2010

Mr Mayor, an awful lot of the past few minutes has explained why the Labour Party did not want John Biggs as their candidate! However, Mr Mayor, one of the people who is a candidate is Neil King who is the Conservative candidate for the Mayoral election and people will have an opportunity to vote for him. He is very much opposed to the change in the route. Mr Mayor, Sebastian Coe has said that this decision has been taken with the aim of minimising disruption to the traffic in the east end of London. Does this mean it is...

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 13 October 2010

It is a bit confusing isn't it, Chair? The Labour Party needs to make up its mind about whether it wants to criticise what is happening now and complain about the Mayor, or say it is good and take credit for something that they have done in the past. They cannot really, in all fairness, do both. Havering was mentioned during that list which Nicky read out and I have to say, Mr Mayor, we actually have what we would call a mixed community in Havering already. That is a genuine mixed community; not the sort of socialist Labour definition...

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 13 October 2010

Bob Crow [General Secretary, RMT], who has raised many of the points that Caroline has mentioned as well today, was on record the other day saying that London Underground was falling apart under your stewardship and was extremely dangerous. Would you like to take this opportunity to reassure Londoners that that is not the case?

• Question by: Richard Barnes
• Meeting date: 13 October 2010

Mr Mayor, given the opening of the inquest into the 7/7 bombings only this week and the question raised by the Independent British National Party (BNP) Member, can we acknowledge, publicly and clearly, the massive strides in safety that have occurred on the Tube network of London since 7 July 2005; the investment in radios, the investment in passenger safety issues and a whole range of things. London Underground is as safe, if not safer now, than it has ever been.

• Question by: Richard Barnbrook
• Meeting date: 13 October 2010

Morning, Mr Mayor. I would like to bring out another aspect of Underground safety. A report came out earlier this week and started at the end of last week regarding the 7/7 terrorist attacks on London Underground. Aspects came through about the failure of the emergency services. At the moment, with the heightened level of possible terrorist attacks again in the capital city, how can you secure what has been put through in the press today that parents are concerned where issues have been raised with them about visiting London on school trips that terrorism should and is a concern...

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 13 October 2010

Mayor, you visited Redbridge recently and I know that you will have seen a large number of black cabs in Redbridge, of course, because I represent quite a large chunk of the black cab trade. Your predecessor managed to alienate a lot of these people with his approach to air quality. What steps are you taking to make sure that you keep the black cab trade on board and do not repeat the mistakes of Mr Livingstone [Mayor of London 2000-2008]?