• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 23 February 2005

I just want to raise a couple of questions. I understand Richard's (Barnes) concerns and they are valid if you are going to compare possible development with America. However, I do not think there is any way you can sit and compare the journey we have taken here with what went on in America and I do not see us ever getting near that position. Issues about white lash or white backlash, I think, are quite remote. If you look at actual positive action, positive action has time and time again been received well in those communities because it is...

• Question by: Richard Barnes
• Meeting date: 23 February 2005

How would you define institutional racism?

• Question by: Richard Barnes
• Meeting date: 23 February 2005

I would be grateful that that is the case, Mr Mayor. Indeed, like you and indeed Len Duvall (AM, Chair, Metropolitan Police Authority), we work very hard with the MPS to ensure that it is serving London properly. However, when Bill Morris (former General Secretary of the Transport and General Workers Union) was writing his report, he warned of a `white backlash' and that worries me greatly. I wonder how you believe we can actually avoid a `white backlash'.

• Question by: Richard Barnes
• Meeting date: 23 February 2005

Yet you agree with Sir Ian (Blair) that it remains institutionally racist?

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 09 November 2005

Obviously as I represent some of the central parts of London, I hear what you say about the fact that there has been a benefit to outer boroughs in terms of getting there speedily, but obviously any loss of minutes for central London is something I would have to view with some concern. In my view, it is better that there should be no loss of minutes and just extra facilities for outer London than that anything should have to move out at all. In any part of London this seems to me a better way forward. However, can I...

• Question by: Mike Tuffrey
• Meeting date: 09 November 2005

The location of the Command Support Unit needs to be changed and also the Driver Training Centre, away from Addington. Those are in train to happen. The locations were still not clear at the point we approved the Plan.

• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 09 November 2005

You spoke about there being delays in the receiving boroughs. I know that one of them was Chingford. Can you say why there has been a delay there and when you expect that station to be ready, given that we have raised expectations and said the fire engine is needed there. Should we not have it there as soon as possible?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 09 November 2005

It sounds like I was dangerously overly helpful in my question, so I thought I would follow it up with two brief supplementaries. The first is, and obviously I supported this strategy not least because at the other end of my constituency in Barking and Dagenham, they have not such good response times so I am hoping the redeployment will make it a little bit more equitable and safer for people in a whole range of environments across London. In Tower Hamlets, although you could argue it still has the highest response, the best response times and therefore should have...

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 09 November 2005

I look forward to having those figures but if I could just ask one more time ' I am just wondering if that is as good as it always was or whether there has been any change at all. That is what I want to know.

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 09 November 2005

I am very happy to take that as an undertaking. My final question is, in terms of community fire safety work, I know that the FBU and fire workers have had mixed feelings about their duties in this area and it has been challenging to get the responses and figures up. Do you feel that enough training and confidence has been developed in the workforce to reach out into the hardest parts of the community? For example I see people standing outside supermarkets with information leaflets but you do not know whether they are going into some of the more...