• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 21 February 2007

The second part then of the question is about relations with the trade unions specifically. I might as well declare that I am a trade unionist and have good working relationships with a number of trade unions in London including Construction Workers and Amicus, of which I am a Member. And I know you do as well. But it is not about us being comradely and going through the motions of a relationship with people simply because we like them. Would you agree with me that trade unions need to have a very pivotal role in negotiating these agreements because...

• Question by: Mike Tuffrey
• Meeting date: 21 February 2007

One of the things public authorities can do is to look at their procurement. We here at the GLA have the Green Procurement Code, which actually, I am informed, all 33 London councils have signed up to, but of all the possible NHS bodies in London to have signed to the Green Procurement Code, only one has done, and that is Newham. So, what more can you do to encourage the NHS to take these issues seriously?

• Question by: Valerie Shawcross
• Meeting date: 21 February 2007

I wonder if you would join me in commending this initiative from Guys and St Thomas' NHS Trust, with Kings College London. They have launched I think probably the first energy and environment awareness campaign in the NHS, and it is called Earthcare and Energy. What is significant I think, Mayor, about this is that it is not just aimed at saving energy and improving the sustainability of the Health Service Trust, but also aimed at their employees in their own homes. Do you think there is a job to be done in the NHS, which is one of the...

• Question by: Joanne McCartney
• Meeting date: 21 February 2007

One of the key factors in health inequalities for the elderly is access to those preventative services. We see across London that local authority grants, especially for advice and information for older people, are being cut. I am wondering if, in developing the Health Inequality Strategy, that aspect about advice and information could be looked at as well? I am aware that Age Concern recently published a very good report called, `Bridging the Gap' which highlights the importance of the wellbeing of older people.

• Question by: Joanne McCartney
• Meeting date: 21 February 2007

One of the issues as well in preventative services is that many of them are provided by the voluntary or not for profit sector. I am wondering whether the LDA could have a role in looking at some forms of social enterprise that could perhaps give advice and information, or looking at how these services could be better set up.

• Question by: Elizabeth Howlett
• Meeting date: 21 February 2007

The funny thing is the London Health Commission has done quite a lot - and Jennette [Arnold] has done loads of work - on health inequality strategies. I wonder whether the question is posed that we should get rid of the London Health Commission and hand it all over to you and your worthy officers to work out another Health Inequality Strategy. This goes on and on and on like a cycle that never terminates and never comes out with any information that anybody could use. The problem here with this lack of grants for elderly people's preventative work has...

• Question by: Murad Qureshi
• Meeting date: 21 February 2007

On John's [Biggs] point about extending it, another area where it could be extended, potentially, is, whilst we are hooked on oil, to secure energy supplies. Is that envisaged in the future, given that seems to be the dominant concern in foreign policy now? From the neo-Conservatives it would be quite useful! A theme, possibly, to develop. You have extended the hand of friendship to Caracas and international development, which is very welcomed. I just want to be sure that the cities that we have friendship agreements with; Delhi, Dakar, Dublin, Kingston and Johannesburg will get similar assistance in their...

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 21 February 2007

Obviously I welcome further steps towards making public transport more affordable for many of my constituents on low incomes. My question is that while the Venezuelan angle of this is probably the most eye catching part of it, longer term - just as London blazed a trail with travel cards, with the Freedom Pass, with I think under 18 free travel on buses, which may well be something other authorities want to copy in the country - the value of this initiative may well be in the way in which it pioneers other ways of subsidising transport for people on...

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 21 February 2007

Buying cheap oil would suggest that you think the price of oil is too high. Is that true?

• Question by: Joanne McCartney
• Meeting date: 21 February 2007

I wish to ask about the discounted travel that will come from this deal. On Monday I visited a local scheme for lone parents, run by Reed Partnership, and one of the advisers told me that one of the barriers for lone parents, especially to get back into work, is the cost of travel, especially as working tax credits often do not come for about three to four months, depending on the length of time that government takes. I was wondering, if there is some slack in this system, whether the scheme could look at those groups who are returning...