• Question by: Murad Qureshi
• Meeting date: 13 December 2006

Thank you, Mayor, for that. The specific issue here is the bids for the London Stock Exchange. There has been a lot of attention on this on the business pages so I am surprised my fellow Assembly Members have not noticed this. Is it not a case of potentially selling the family silver? Shareholders do very well from takeovers, but the real costs are borne by the wider community.

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 13 December 2006

If you really feel like that, why did you withdraw the Family Travel Card last year?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 13 December 2006

I thought you valued it more highly than that.

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 13 December 2006

That was Bob Kiley, yes. You pay Bob [Kiley] £3,000 a day for his advice. Why did you not take it in this case?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 13 December 2006

Some people consider this does not represent good value for money. Someone said a little while ago, and I quote: `Freebies are not one of my favourite subjects because TfL is heavily dependent on fair income for being able to do what it does'. Do you know who said that?

• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 13 December 2006

Would you agree that on this issue we have seen the difference between your policy, which is supported by the Labour Members, and Roger Evans and his Group? From day one this has only been seen as a problem, as some sort of dastardly act by you to give away Londoners' money. Will you confirm, once more, that the majority of London, in every survey that has been asked, has welcomed this initiative, and it is one of the enabling forces in terms of keeping children in school and helping families that have a minimum income coming into the home...

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 13 December 2006

There is another concern which has been raised by police officers who replied to the debate, and I have to say it has been backed up by my two Borough Commanders locally. They say: `Groups of youths travel from all over the borough, and even from other boroughs, to play out the rivalries that exist between factions'. In other words, what they are saying is the anti-social behaviour is not being committed necessarily on the bus, but it is enabling gangs to travel more widely and to fight each other around London. You have said in the past you were...

• Question by: Valerie Shawcross
• Meeting date: 13 December 2006

This policy is a huge success, reflected in the fact that 80% of Londoners support it. Nearly 100,000 cards have been issued since the start of September. It is a significant benefit to families with children of school age. The effect of the fares initiative for young people means that, compared to when I was elected, families with children of five and over who regularly use the bus save up to £350 per child per annum. A family with three children between the ages of 5 and 18 can now save over £1,000 a year. I cannot, therefore, agree with...

• Question by: Joanne McCartney
• Meeting date: 13 December 2006

One other question. A lot of work has been done about the views of young people, how they feel on buses and what they would like to see improved. They have had some very good ideas. Is TfL talking to young people? Perhaps we could have a London-wide forum looking, with young people, at how we could improve their journeys on buses?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 13 December 2006

I had a teacher who emailed me saying that this was: `Truancy paid for by the tax payer - only Labour could manage to achieve that!' That is perhaps a strong comment, but it does beg the question as to why the cards are valid during school hours in the middle of the day, why they are valid late at night when really young people should not be out travelling on their own and it is dangerous for them? I have had it suggested by several people that the scheme should be limited to travel to and from school, which...