• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 06 April 2005

I welcome TfL's commissioning of research, especially the area they looked at in terms of the disproportionate number of black and minority ethnic children who are killed or injured on the road. I know of this from a personal basis, coming out of North London. Can you update me on actions being taken as a result of the Child Pedestrian Casualty Rates Report, which came out last year, and if you cannot speak about that I will have it in writing. Can I have your views on this because it seems to me that what is happening is that the...

• Question by: Andrew Pelling
• Meeting date: 06 April 2005

Do you not think it would be good practice not to have a situation where you have provided to the Chief Executive a theoretical veto over Board members? Do you think it would be worthwhile following the Combined Code for good corporate governance on these appointments?

• Question by: Mike Tuffrey
• Meeting date: 06 April 2005

On the low pay point, could I invite you to answer Joanne's (McCartney) first question which was about what we can expect from central Government in relation to the minimum wage?

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 06 April 2005

Finally, in terms of the London Development Agency's (LDA) role and its support for regeneration projects, is it going to be written into the LDA's role?

• Question by: Andrew Pelling
• Meeting date: 06 April 2005

Another development since your written report (See Item 3) was that Mr Kiley told us this morning that he could not really recall the veto that he has over Board appointments for TfL. I was surprised when you told us at the Budget Committee in December that such a veto exists. Could you clarify the situation there? Do you not feel there ought to be an adherence to the Combined Code on good corporate governance at TfL in terms of proposing appointments to the Board for you to consider as Mayor under your powers under the Act?

• Question by: Joanne McCartney
• Meeting date: 06 April 2005

I very much welcome the report `A Fairer London: The Living Wage in London'. It makes excellent reading. I want to follow through as to what the political leadership can offer in this. What representations might you be making to the Government about the minimum wage levels in London? Furthermore, what might we do as a GLA family to ensure that, when we contract-out work, perhaps we try to ensure that contractors do provide decent wages to their employees?

• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 06 April 2005

Returning to Andrew Pelling's point, now that we have established that it is Mr Kiley's recollection that is at fault rather than yours, can you help me about this? Surely, one of the purposes of the members of the TfL Board is to serve in a similar role to non-executive directors, to protect the public interest and to hold the management to account? How can the public be satisfied that the members of the board will hold Bob Kiley, as head of management, to account without fear and favour, if you have publicly stated that you will not appoint people...

• Question by: Mike Tuffrey
• Meeting date: 06 April 2005

The point about a regional differential on the minimum wage is well made. Of course, the trade unions have resisted this. In our view, one needs to reflect the differences because without that, would you not agree that employers, for whom wages is a significant element of their costs, cannot, even if they want to, move to the sorts of levels that we all agree are necessary because it puts them at a competitive disadvantage to people who are not so ethically minded?

• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 06 April 2005

You forgot to tell us that you had a meeting on Monday with the Transport Commissioner (Bob Kiley). He told us this morning that one of the things you talked about was the plan to extend the operating hours of the Tube at night and move it from the morning. He thought you had more to say because, clearly, he agreed with me that we cannot disadvantage the current 55,000 users, many of whom come from our constituencies, and many of whom are the lowest paid workers in London and depend on this means of transport to get to work.

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 06 April 2005

Going back to the living wage issue, I am very encouraged that it is going to be written into the staff agreements for the whole of the GLA family. In terms of all the contracts, is it going to be written into the procurement process for all contracts with outside companies?