• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 21 February 2007

I was simply going to address what you have said on this report, `Who Buys New Market Homes in London' in your own report. The report made no mention of these homes being kept empty and, indeed, they make it perfectly clear that only a very tiny proportion are kept empty, probably less than those which are owned by local authorities. They are indeed saying in the report which, as far as I can see you praise, that if it was not for the private rented sector, the number of houses which were being built in total in London would...

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

OK. It just seems it is more applicable to situations up in the north rather than in the context of London, and I think the real issue there is that, in west London certainly, we may not have the turnover of properties that we once assumed in terms of tenants moving through. On another front, I notice there was a report from the GLA - I think Economics - on who buys new market homes in London. And it showed a staggering figure that about 45% of new purchases are buy to lets. Now that certainly has an impact on...

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

My concern is the role of Housing Associations in the availability of more affordable homes. Do you think Notting Hill Housing Trusts initiative to sell 10% equity of their properties to tenants is going to help increase the availability of social housing in London?

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

You are getting additional housing powers, what are you going to do with those powers to begin addressing this problem? Because as I implied in my original question, there is 35,000 fewer social homes now in London than there was the day you took office back in 2000.

• Question by: Bob Blackman
• Meeting date: 21 February 2007

Mr Mayor, obviously the concern you have raised about the availability of social housing is of concern. Do you support the idea of assessing peoples' means to qualify for social housing, and possibly for the removal of the right of children to succeed to council tenancies?

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

Should the right to buy go then, or at least be modified so that homes are only sold if they are replaced?

• Question by: Damian Hockney
• Meeting date: 05 December 2007

That is not because of our Congestion Charge; that is what is happening anyway and it has been for some years, before we ever thought of doing this.

• Question by: Damian Hockney
• Meeting date: 05 December 2007

These were done through technology in consultation with industry's manufacturers. That is how that process was done. This is not. This is a sudden and swingeing tax to be imposed upon people who have a car, a five year old, possibly petrol-engined Mondeo, which all of a sudden they have to pay £25 for. Can I move to the second half of the question. I have to say I have looked at some of the newspapers in different cities and in different countries and I will just quote you one letter from a newspaper in Manchester: 'Just look what you...

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 05 December 2007

Would you appreciate why they would feel concerned that this would, in many ways, be a complete turnaround on the principle that they felt they had established with the Mayor that there should be a discount for all residents with cars in the western extension?

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 05 December 2007

Curiously, I travelled in on the Tube today with the Leader of Kensington & Chelsea Council and we were talking about this very subject. You will be aware that Kensington & Chelsea has actually remained entirely neutral about the issue of how much you want to charge large vehicles and large engines, but they are not at all neutral about the issue of the loss of the principle of the discount for residents. Are you prepared to do battle with Kensington & Chelsea over this?