• Question by: Peter Hulme Cross
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

Just a very quick question. You mentioned a gas attack down, sir, the Tube network, like with Sarin. Do you have the necessary equipment to go down and administer help underground, and the necessary breathing apparatus to last long enough to be effective? For instance, if they do not last half an hour, you will only have about 15 minutes or so down there.

• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

Just going back to one of my bugbears since the ricin in Wood Green, when the local chair of the Health Trust, the local chief executive, and I think the local head of the Fire Service were not aware of the ricin incident until two days afterwards. Are you satisfied that in terms of a health issue, the communications are now infallible?

• Question by: Valerie Shawcross
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

I appreciate, Mr Messenger, you cannot answer for BTP, and BTP are not here today, and indeed, BTP do not have full control of their own resources, and that is an issue. Are you aware of any timetable for the conclusion of those discussions?

• Question by: Valerie Shawcross
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

Do you, therefore, think it is a problem that we are undersupplied with all of those resources on the over-ground system in London?

• Question by: Valerie Shawcross
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

Would you agree that the BTP, CCTV systems, and communications systems on the Underground are actually an important part of protection, as well as evacuation plans?

• Question by: Mike Tuffrey
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

Thinking about evacuation, I am sure you will agree it is important that the extent to which people are educated in advance of the crisis about what is expected of them will help in the management at the time. Looking at the Preparing for Emergencies booklet, which has been mentioned, that has three generic bullet points on this issue, and if you compare that with what is available to New Yorkers, in terms of a very detailed guide, with evacuation there absolutely, all sorts of things, down to what to do with your pets, which I am sure is a...

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

Just following up on the points about spontaneous evacuation, as opposed to the formal evacuation plans, and if the plans to guide and inform people and all the rest of it did not work, could people expect formal restrictions on their movement in the event of a severe incident?

• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

Right, so that is about 10 years old.

• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

Has, for example, something like a register of all the private coach operators in London been established? Has that all happened already?

• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

How would that information be made available to Londoners ' with road, rail, Tube closures so that you avoid that kind of human panic? If transport is running at any point, how are they going to receive those'?