• Question by: Dee Doocey
• Meeting date: 20 July 2005

Could you deal with the second part of my question?

• Question by: Dee Doocey
• Meeting date: 20 July 2005

I know. I am a bit worried, because you are taking my time.

• Question by: Dee Doocey
• Meeting date: 20 July 2005

My last question, for now - although if you answer it very quickly, I might get in another one: could you just explain how the cultural aspects and the educational aspects of the Games are going to be rolled out?

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 20 July 2005

We know that the Olympic Bill that was going to be debated at second reading yesterday is now happening today. Looking at what is in that Bill, it is quite clear that there is absolutely no mention of the London Assembly as playing any role at all in scrutinising the next seven years as we move towards the Olympics. Do you think that that is right, or as representatives of Londoners who have been elected here, should we be having some scrutiny role officially laid out? Will you be supporting any amendment that might press for that?

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 20 July 2005

Final question: you say that we are going to get plenty of opportunity to scrutinise everything that is going on, which is welcome, as far as it goes. My last question to you is that we had a taste of what we might expect to happen when you appeared to be very keen to ensure that we did not do a scrutiny at the Plenary last week. Was it your influence that suddenly persuaded the LDA and all sorts of others to suddenly announce that they would not be coming before the Plenary?

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

Turning to the environmental aspects, you will be aware that London's sewerage system cannot cope with regular usage plus storms. Just a couple of weeks ago, we had a million cubic metres of raw sewerage pumped into the Thames. In Athens, I think there were 1.6 million extra tourists. Part of the case for the Olympics is to showcase London. Now, I am sure you will agree, it is not exactly good for London to have raw sewerage floating down the centre of London and past the Lower Lea Valley during the Games. When I asked you last year about...

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 20 July 2005

All right, so we may not get the review at all, despite the fact we are promised it.

• Question by: Richard Barnes
• Meeting date: 20 July 2005

Mr Mayor, I was not an enthusiastic supporter of the Olympics ' nothing to do with the fact that I am built like a butcher's dog, rather than a gypsy's lurcher ' but more because I was worried about the cost overrun and the cost implications to all of London, although the constituency I represent is further away from the Games than Essex is. It is also the security aspects which exercise my mind as much as anything else. I note that the budget for your Olympics is some £250 million, whereas Athens spent £800 million, which is an immediate...

• Question by: Peter Hulme Cross
• Meeting date: 20 July 2005

[Peter Hulme Cross (AM):] May I add my congratulations to all the others. It was a brilliantly executed bid, and particularly I thought taking the 30 children to Singapore was an excellent idea. That was really wonderful. [Brian Coleman (Deputy Chair):] Does Damian (Hockney (AM)) agree with you? [Darren Johnson (AM):] Damian (Hockney) is commiserating in Paris. [Peter Hulme Cross (AM):] No, Barbados, actually. I want to come back to these businesses in Marshgate Lane. As an example of what is happening ' I will not mention the business by name. [The Mayor:] I can guess which one. [Peter Hulme...

• Question by: Dee Doocey
• Meeting date: 20 July 2005

Could you outline the practical consequences of the Olympic decision in terms of sport and community development and, at the same time, say a little bit about how boroughs which are outside central London and the rest of the country can benefit and get the opportunities into their parts of the country?