• Question by: Peter Hulme Cross
• Meeting date: 18 October 2005

It depends on who you listen to, obviously. The London Chamber of Commerce says that, according to their survey, 79% of businesses in the Congestion Charge zone say their takings have fallen, and there is an alarming 32% of retailers who are considering relocating their businesses as a result of the Charge. We have a letter here from a business owner in Knightsbridge who has been there 100 years, but who says `We moved out of the area when we realised Ken Livingstone would never listen to objections from businesses about the extension, and he has personally told me he...

• Question by: Peter Hulme Cross
• Meeting date: 18 October 2005

Here we have a publication from the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) ' in fact, it is actually published by the Government Office for London (GOL) ' which shows value-added tax (VAT) de-registrations against VAT registrations, and it says here that `Only London and the West Midlands region have experienced an overall decrease in VAT registrations. That is, the de-registrations exceed the registrations'. Lo and behold, the area which is most affected is the area covered by the central and the western extension. In fact, that is showing a very different picture to the one that you paint...

• Question by: Peter Hulme Cross
• Meeting date: 18 October 2005

The problem is that what will move out are the small, independent retailers and what will be left are the large supermarkets and the big chains.

• Question by: Peter Hulme Cross
• Meeting date: 18 October 2005

It will not do much good if businesses have moved out of the centre.

• Question by: Valerie Shawcross
• Meeting date: 18 October 2005

Just one question, Mayor. I think it is true to say that John's (Biggs) concern in asking this question was about making sure there was a coherent approach to planning, regeneration and transport in the Thames Gateway. Having sat on the Commission on London Governance, I am very aware that there is an issue all around the outside of the London boundaries, in terms of a lack of a cooperation framework ' a partnership framework ' to enable the London boroughs and London to relate to the county councils in the region outside of London, particularly on crime reduction, policing...

• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 18 October 2005

Epsom?

• Question by: Geoff Pope
• Meeting date: 18 October 2005

Are you agreeing that we ought to look at the democratic oversight quite carefully and actually have a strong one?

• Question by: Joanne McCartney
• Meeting date: 18 October 2005

Thank you. Given there is a current consultation out there on the future of a patient-led NHS, and it looks like London may get one single strategic health authority again, do you not think we should be having a statutory role for the GLA, enabling it to scrutinise that and to give a coherent voice for London, especially for preventative and public health work?

• Question by: Geoff Pope
• Meeting date: 18 October 2005

Without an early publication, would you not agree that there is a democratic deficit?

• Question by: Geoff Pope
• Meeting date: 18 October 2005

With regard to the single regional health authority for London, would you agree that the democratic oversight of this should be conducted by a joint panel of Assembly Members and borough councillors, as currently happens for the Fire Service?