• Question by: Peter Hulme Cross
• Meeting date: 15 December 2004

You just mentioned organised crime in the same breath as identity cards, more or less. At our Plenary Session the other day, Commander (Michael) Messenger (Metropolitan Police Service), when pressed on this subject, found it very difficult to justify the introduction of ID cards, except to identify bodies once they have dropped to the ground.

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 15 December 2004

They have actually refused to do so.

• Question by: Sally Hamwee
• Meeting date: 15 December 2004

Presumably, you will consult John Ross on whether or not he thinks he is qualified to be your motor racing advisor. Can I ask, because I probably only get one question, how does this square with your concerns about air quality and sustainability, i.e., I cannot pretend to know a lot about motor racing ' practically nothing ' but it strikes me that it is not a very sustainable sport, so bringing this to central London does not, to me, obviously seem consistent with your plans.

• Question by: Bob Blackman
• Meeting date: 15 December 2004

Can we just confirm the view that you previously had, given that you seem to change your mind on some of these things, that actually the Lottery tax should come to fund the Olympic Games, rather than just reside in the Treasury.

• Question by: Bob Blackman
• Meeting date: 15 December 2004

The issue is going to be, if any cost overruns take place, Londoners pick up 50% of the tab. Now, the issue here is one of a direct contribution that, not only Londoners, but everyone can make towards the Lottery funding, that would then lead to a possible contribution towards developing the venues. Now, it only seems fair and right and reasonable to everyone ' including yourself, originally ' that all of that money should go towards funding the Games, rather than a position of the Treasury taking 12% and then using it for whatever purposes they wish. Now, you...

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 15 December 2004

That is not the same as, you know, just actually saying, `I made a mistake.' You say, `Oh, somebody else made a mistake.'

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 15 December 2004

Since you have already referred in so elliptical fashion to your Deputy Mayor in your discussions about the London Plan, could I just say that clearly something does seem to be wrong at the top, because you are admitting that you do not know half the answers that go out in your name, and it is quite clear that your Deputy does not always know that she has actually asked questions, which apparently have gone out in her name, because she was somewhat surprised, as it turns out, to get an answer on the future of the City of London...

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 15 December 2004

The difference is they do not always then blame the unnamed other staff for things that go wrong, when they do not want to take responsibility for them.

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 15 December 2004

You do. You suggest that it is other people, other than yourself.

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 15 December 2004

At the Assembly meeting on 20 October, we had a debate about affordable housing, and I suggested to you that one of the ways in which we could deal with the problem of affordable housing was to lower the threshold for obliging developers to provide affordable housing from 15 to 10. Your observation on that was, `I agree with you. I think it is absolutely excellent.' When this particular matter went to the Secretary of State, because you, in your wisdom, thought that Richmond's affordable housing policy was wrong, the Minister overruled you and applauded our policy. Your press statement...