• Question by: Richard Barnbrook
• Meeting date: 18 June 2008

Thank you very much, Mayor Boris. We have had the starter question so let us go on to the main course and meat and three veg as I think it affects the whole lives of London. I would like to ask the Assembly to make a heartfelt condolence towards Robert Knox's family for the gruesome murder of himself and five of his mates from an outsider from the community who walked in there with intent to create harm. I have here in front of me the Metropolitan Police Service's latest figures of persons accused of possessing offensive weapons April/May 2007/08...

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 18 June 2008

With respect, we will only establish if they are a first class team when they have had an opportunity to demonstrate that. I appreciate you have appointed them and that is the way you want to do it. The question to you is whether you are sufficiently in control of what is happening at City Hall, whether there is clarity about these appointments, and whether in reality - apart from anything which you cannot actually legally delegate to someone, which I think is essentially the setting of fares - you have delegated everything so you are not actually aware [of...

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 18 June 2008

Is it a coincidence that she is I think the only woman appointed to your team and she is on the lowest salary? Or is that an unfair question?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 18 June 2008

Are you going to be appointing an adviser on equalities issues?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 18 June 2008

No. We are not accepting that at all. We are seeking further clarification. Shall I move on to maybe more fruitful ground? You have appointed a whole number of Deputy Mayors, as I think we discussed at the previous meeting; five of them so far and counting. There may be more. You did not totally rule out the possibility of there being additional Mayors as well! The question is, is there any power that you would not delegate? Perhaps to focus your thinking, there is an article in the Financial Times today which crystallizes my thinking on this, which is...

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 18 June 2008

I dispute the word 'informal', but yes.

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 18 June 2008

Are you a high powered person?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 18 June 2008

If we summarise your answer, which was essentially that you did not answer the question, you may get round to appointing an environmental adviser - which was your number one priority - some time between now and Christmas I guess. Munira Mirza is your adviser I believe on cultural issues

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 18 June 2008

Can I first of all congratulate you on your appointment of Neale Coleman as a Section 67 officer. He will, I am sure, give you continuing excellent advice on the Olympics, as he did to your predecessor. A few simple questions: The first question is about your announcement in your manifesto in your campaign that the environment was a prime priority for you and yet you have not yet appointed an environmental adviser. Is there a reason for this? Was it again a mismatch between the rhetoric and the reality of the Mayoralty.

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 18 June 2008

OK. Could you advise us whether Mr Lewis has yet taken up his appointment and signed a contract with the Authority?