• Question by: James Cleverly
• Meeting date: 03 December 2008

Thank you, Chair. Mr Mayor, it is quite clear the implication that a number of members opposite are trying to make in their line of questioning. Rather than dancing around the issue and trying to muddy water, I would like to ask you a very explicit question, which I think is the question that they were trying to ask. Have you shared any operationally sensitive material that you may have received in your capacity as Chair of the MPA with Damian Green MP?

• Question by: Len Duvall OBE
• Meeting date: 03 December 2008

Thank you for the way that you answered John Biggs' question. In light of your answer, will you go away and reflect to see that it is appropriate, and I might have some sentiments about where you think the outcome of things may go, for you or your office to talk to a potential suspect, even though you have nor role at all, but you may have information and be given information in briefings, during a criminal investigation? Will you go away to reflect?

• Question by: Andrew Boff
• Meeting date: 03 December 2008

Can I ask how often you have been called in shore up leaks in the workings of Government and how often the Metropolitan Police is used for that?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 03 December 2008

This is to the Chair of the Police Authority. Would you agree with me that the majority of British people feel that Members of Parliament are overly precious and cosseted and that they should be subject to as much scrutiny as anybody else?

• Question by: Valerie Shawcross
• Meeting date: 03 December 2008

Do you accept in any way, Chairman, that your confrontational approach to the budget-setting this year has led to unnecessary anxieties amongst staff within the brigade.

• Question by: Richard Barnbrook
• Meeting date: 03 December 2008

After a month into Mayor Boris' election result here as the Mayor of London, he visited Barking and Dagenham. He actually spent some time at the, what I would consider to be, rather dilapidated fire station of East Dagenham. Rumours are going round - I would like to have these clarified if I can - whether it was going to be either upgraded or the station was to be demolished and replaced with a new station. Which of these two would be correct?

• Question by: Richard Tracey
• Meeting date: 03 December 2008

I wonder if the Chairman - presumably it is for the Chairman this one - could bring us up to speed a bit more on the Heritage Protection Bill and the ramifications of it for the Fire Brigade and fire stations because, as I understand it, when some places are listed it is possible to get government grants to bring them up to the standard required or, indeed, to renovate them, but in other cases it is not. So what is the situation with fire stations which must produce a great problem for LFEPA.

• Question by: Mike Tuffrey
• Meeting date: 03 December 2008

I am tempted to ask, in keeping with the Lynne Featherstone callout question, which budget paid for the 21 gun salute that greeted your attendance here this morning that we were enjoying while you were going on! The serious point, Chairman, is that - as you yourself said - there is no one party with overall control of the Authority and, therefore, these important matters of financing of the emergency services should be a matter of proper discussion and dialogue between the parties. You have made it clear that you personally do not want to follow the Mayor's guidance, which...

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 03 December 2008

I am not down to speak but I am just intrigued how you reconcile your rather bombastic style as Chair with the need for you to preside over a fire authority which is multi-party and which no party will have a majority and, therefore, you need to rule through a consensus? Do you lie awake at night thinking about this? I am sure you do not.

• Question by: Navin Shah
• Meeting date: 03 December 2008

I would like to get back to the question of serious savings here: 15% cuts across the board by any standards is a steep amount of cuts we are looking at. Mr Chairman, why has it taken you months after your appointment to seek a meeting with the Mayor to look at this serious business of cuts which is, obviously, going to affect the services?