• 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?

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

As well, I take it, as the paper trail that would show how the decision was arrived at. I would be grateful for that.

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

If that is the case, will you first of all undertake to make all Board documents available to Members of the Assembly? Secondly, would you agree that the best solution in that event would be to make membership of the Board subject to open advertisement so that we can be satisfied that members of the Board are appointed on a merit test?

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

I understand your concern to try to pour scorn on the contents of this poll, which is probably the most comprehensive survey of Londoners and crime ever carried out. The fact is that two-thirds of people believe that crime is increasing. That is the perception of people out there in London, and this is right across London, this is not in a specific area or specific little pockets that we have looked at but right across London. The reality is that people believe your policies are failing; they want to see change, and they want to see a positive change...

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

In our survey, 45% of people are less than satisfied; they are dissatisfied with what the police are doing to actually combat a crime or do something about following up a crime once it has been reported. This is under your direct control. What are you going to do about it?

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

Those are interesting statistics, no doubt. You will no doubt be aware that in our capacity of scrutinising this process, we have carried out a major survey across all the London boroughs with 110,000 people being surveyed, including those areas which have Safer Neighbourhoods and those that do not. However, the perception is rather different when it comes to the number of police: 76% of people either say they have seen the same number of police or less. Can you tell me why you think they are wrong?