• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 14 December 2005

I must say that I do not agree with your view that the Assembly Members are such chronic under-performers. I know that you think that I do a fantastic job on a good day, but it does seem to me that even opposition Members can provide a constructive role. I think one of the effects of your comment about the Assembly has been to raise the game of the Assembly visibly, certainly to my perception. My question though is about the mad or bad Mayor issue. The problem I have is that your submission to Government is based on your...

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 14 December 2005

Given that you have one in person in office holding the executive position, just one person with one range of political views, is it not even more important than any other institution that you do have a broad spread of opinion whether they agree with you or not in the body that holds you to account and scrutinises you?

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 14 December 2005

To assist in preparing our press releases on the precept, will you spell out to me in very simple terms ' because we are very simple people on this side ' that the total increase in the percentage bill coming from this place is going to be around 5.5% in the precept which you say is going to be the capped precept, if you like, and a further 8% on the Olympic precept, meaning that the increase from this building is going to be in excess of 13%?

• Question by: Bob Blackman
• Meeting date: 14 December 2005

I note that we are having a policy of brinkmanship in terms of releasing this budget report, which is not particularly helpful for those of us who are involved in the scrutiny on Thursday. Do you accept that the precept is likely to go up by £50 at Band D overall?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 14 December 2005

Given that you are making that extremely robust message which will be welcome for Londoners, will you urge them to cross the picket lines if a strike is called?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 14 December 2005

These situations do change since we put questions down, but there are always situations that might result in industrial action on the Tube. There always seems to be a number of disagreements there. When we get the result of the ballot on 22 December and it is in favour of industrial action, will you do what you have done before and urge RMT members to cross the picket line rather than disrupt services over the New Year?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 14 December 2005

Earlier this year, you told this Assembly that you would always take Bob's (Kiley) advice on who would be the members of the TfL board. Have you continued to take his advice on who should be the executive and non-executive members of the board?

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 14 December 2005

Does that therefore not mean that you are likely to levy an additional tax on the suburbs? You have already told us that you favour those boroughs where the residents support you electorally, so will you, in effect, do as Herbert Morrison (former Leader, London County Council) did and take resources from the suburbs to satisfy your electoral friends?

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 14 December 2005

In your first answer you gave us a list of spending on very worthwhile projects achieved when parties worked together. Why did you not want to do those projects in the first place?

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 14 December 2005

Do you not think that sets an important precedent, because it is such an uneven battle if community groups and local residents try to oppose a scheme at a public inquiry? Do you not think it sets a good precedent that at least some resources should be made available to the other side?