• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 20 July 2005

Can I ask one final, somewhat unrelated question, then, which is about tourism? Graham Tope asked a question about the effects on tourism, and we have all had lots of messages and emails from across the Atlantic. A lot of Americans feel a sense of solidarity with us. It might be useful for you to give a message to Americans, in whose eyes you now appear as a solid figure ' a counter to George Galloway (MP, Bethnal Green and Bow), perhaps, I do not know ' to say that one of the greatest tributes that they can give to...

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 20 July 2005

If it turns out that more fire coverage is needed in central London to deal with the terrorist threat, you would support the funding for that?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 20 July 2005

Could I just follow that up briefly? I welcome your comments. Interestingly, in London there have been a number of initiatives in the last few years, which almost pre-date the meeting yesterday in setting the ball rolling about disengagement, the aspirations of youth, and discrimination in the job markets, and so on. It seems to me that locally we have a job, because of London's nature. We also have the ability, uniquely, to be an international beacon, because we are such a relatively successful city, in terms of our multi-cultural and multi-racial nature, in pioneering and developing ways in which...

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 20 July 2005

I would share that with you, and I think the Assembly could distinguish itself, for a change, if it carried out such a piece of work. The second question I had is about the support we are giving to and the consultations and discussions we are having with Muslim Londoners in particular. I know that you have been involved in a number of meetings and initiatives ' and indeed, I have ' and I know that other Assembly Members have as well. I was wondering if you wanted to pass comment on the summit that took place yesterday in Downing...

• Question by: Valerie Shawcross
• Meeting date: 20 July 2005

Mayor, would you not say that, in fact, the preparations that LFEPA has made ' which have been supported by yourself and this Assembly ' in terms of providing new equipment ' and there were 10 specialist rescue units and specialist facilities to move along the tracks, for example ' has actually proven, in this instance, to have been accurately anticipated and that LFEPA was very, very well prepared? Would you join me in saying it is very unfortunate that the FBU ' which is entitled in a democratic society to question and challenge what its employers are doing '...

• Question by: Valerie Shawcross
• Meeting date: 20 July 2005

Can I just follow up and say I agree with you, Mayor. The calm and efficient response of the emergency services added to the reassurance of all of Londoners and helped set the tone for the way people behaved. Are you aware at this stage that, in fact, the LFB was able to provide all the equipment, people, and training we needed, without calling in additional services from around London. We had warned other fire brigades around London we might need to call in their support, but in fact, we covered the whole of those incidents, plus all of the...

• Question by: Mike Tuffrey
• Meeting date: 20 July 2005

Indeed, I share those sentiments, and you were eloquent in your remarks in the immediate aftermath that the terrorists win if the result is that we end up hating each other in community terms. I wanted to ask you a specific question about the language that we seem to use routinely. Indeed, we have talked this morning about `Muslim youth,' and in the media there is talk of `Muslim terrorists,' although it is clearly a total anathema to a true adherent of Islam. If you think about the IRA, we do not talk about Catholic terrorists. If we think about...

• Question by: Sally Hamwee
• Meeting date: 20 July 2005

I know that borough leaders are aware of this, and perhaps there can be some liaison with the boroughs, as well, through the Association of London Government (ALG).

• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 20 July 2005

I understand that point, but for example, it seems there may have been some technical problems with BT getting the telephone lines in until perhaps into the afternoon. Is that something that we can look at?

• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 20 July 2005

Perhaps we could look again at the 0870 number?