• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 19 November 2008

Just watching the Games you got the impression that it was a very top-down operation. Obviously the authorities in Beijing were able to direct the activities of their population, even down to telling them that they could only protest in one particular park and that type of thing. London, as you know, is very much more complex and rebellious than that. What plans have you got in place to ensure the Games can take place without making it a completely claustrophobic event for the people who have to live and work here?

• Question by: Kit Malthouse
• Meeting date: 19 November 2008

You will have to forgive me for being easily confused but I am anxious about lines of decision taking and responsibility around some of the decisions that are being taken and, indeed, learning about who is taking those decisions. I have become a bit confused this morning. You talked about not being responsible for the ODA budget, that is nothing to do with you, and yet you are talking about decisions that will affect their budget. You, Lord Coe, have gone on record about there being certain legacy issues around the stadium, for instance, which will affect the budget and...

• Question by: Richard Tracey
• Meeting date: 19 November 2008

Can I just say, first of all, I am very pleased you have been to Wimbledon to talk to them and to start to look at their ticketing because it is something that you, Paul, will know we are very proud of in South West London, the techniques that have been built up at Wimbledon. The question I want to ask you, though, in terms of lessons from Beijing is this one: there was, frankly, some disappointment expressed at the way London was symbolised at the Closing Ceremony in Beijing. I do not know whether you two were proud of...

• Question by: Murad Qureshi
• Meeting date: 19 November 2008

I think, looking back at Beijing, the bar has been put very high, particularly by the athletes. I think we should not forget that something like 43 World Records and 120 Olympic Records were broken, so they certainly felt comfortable. It is probably the best answer for the Beijing bashers who suggested the air pollution may affect their performance; it probably enhanced it. Coming to the spectators' experience, what I found as a foreigner there was that it was actually much easier for me to get hold of a ticket and I think the Olympic Authority should look at their...

• Question by: Richard Barnes
• Meeting date: 08 October 2008

Can we get the parameters very clear then. You are responsible for the build phase of the Olympic Site and the security of that build phase. You will then hand over to LOCOG who assume responsibility for the buildings and it is their responsibility for security of the delivery of the Paralympic and Olympic Games. Are you responsible for the security at Broxbourne for the waterway and at Weymouth? At what point do you hand over responsibility for the build site because I understand there are test operations that need to occur for a period of up to a year...

• Question by: Murad Qureshi
• Meeting date: 08 October 2008

Like yourself I was there as a spectator but I did not have any privilege access like yourselves to what was happening during that whole month of festivities. There were one or two things I picked up which I think are pertinent. The first is on the transport. It was not just the investment they made but they also dropped prices, quite considerably, so most people used it quite happily. A similar thing happened in Athens. They said afterwards they managed to move the modal shift by 10% from private vehicles to public transport. I do not know if we...

• Question by: Victoria Borwick
• Meeting date: 08 October 2008

Just a quick follow up. I am hoping you are getting the feeling from round here that all of us are looking for a community that we can be proud of in years to come and I think that is something that we would like to see; the whole design and thought looked at from that sense of view. I am personally quite pleased we are not putting up more high rise blocks. You talked about the fact that you had reduced the number. Does that mean that is going to change the number of people in each room or...

• Question by: Richard Barnes
• Meeting date: 08 October 2008

I assume the Paralympians are going to be using the Olympic Village as well?

• Question by: Navin Shah
• Meeting date: 08 October 2008

I was worried that there was a strong emphasis, quite rightly so of course, in legacy terms towards temporary and permanent developments and also the future options for the development projects, but not much at all about architectural legacy and heritage in terms of high quality of design etc. I am reassured now from the comments Mr Higgins made about the attempt being made, in terms of the whole process that you have developed, in getting better design and also your reference to the Barcelona Masterplan and so on. I am really seeking reassurance and an assurance for Londoners and...

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 08 October 2008

Can I ask one tiny supplementary which is a little bit tangential? I understand that Queen Mary College - which is a university round the corner from where I live and just down the road from Stratford - has made its student village - about 3,000 properties - available for the entirety of the Olympics. Is that in some way making up for the shortfall in accommodation that is likely to be built at Stratford?