• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 17 April 2006

Absolutely, as the person you invited, I think. As it is, will you undertake on that occasion to abide by the advice of Special Branch, who advised you, as you know, that it was not necessary to close the building on Monday?

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 17 April 2006

It `seemed like' a very good deal.

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 17 April 2006

Yes, but how much?

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 17 April 2006

You are responsible for the LDA. Are you telling us that this very substantial sum of money, of course I appreciate it is peanuts compared to the amount of money it sprays about.

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 17 April 2006

How much rent will you pay? You told the Financial Times that the terms verbally agreed with developers for the lower floors of the Shard were impressively attractive. Impress me. Impress the Assembly. Tell us how attractive this rent is going to be.

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 17 April 2006

I would like to ensure that the kind of kiss that you get is the kiss that you gave to hundreds of Labour councillors a fortnight ago. I am sure you will bear that in mind. If it is as good a deal as that you should be trumpeting it from the rooftops now. The problem is, Mayor, you have form on this matter. You persuaded the London Development Agency (LDA), again who behave entirely at your behest, to take a lease on the Palestra building. This is a lease that you tried to encourage the London Fire and Emergency...

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 17 April 2006

Do you not think that there is a conflict of interest here? This is a building that you promoted, this is a building that you gave planning consent for, and this is now a building that you are giving financial viability to by agreeing to take space in this building. You are agreeing to take space in this building at a rental which you have not yet disclosed. I very much hope that you are going to disclose that this morning and tell us how much rent you are going to pay, you are going to tell us this morning...

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 17 April 2006

Why do you not allow the Assembly to judge that?

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 17 April 2006

The LDA has signed the contract for the Palestra building, so how much rent are they paying?

• Question by: Richard Barnes
• Meeting date: 17 April 2006

Mayor, you and the Commissioner when you launched the Safer Neighbourhood policy and roll-out plan made an unequivocal promise to Londoners that as of the beginning of April this financial year every ward in London would have the minimum one sergeant, one PC and two PCSOs. So confident were the Labour Party that it featured unbelievably heavily within the local elections in May, almost to the detriment of dragging the Commissioner into being a political individual. We will let that rest for the moment. However, you made an unequivocal promise. You did not say `But some of you will not...