• Question by: Valerie Shawcross
• Meeting date: 12 January 2005

Since the Assembly costs Londoners £8 million, do you think that significant resource should be subject to some sort of equalities review?

• Question by: Valerie Shawcross
• Meeting date: 12 January 2005

Looking at it in a more positive way, rather than a negative descriptive way, do you think that the Assembly's work and our own work not just on committees but as individual constituency Members could actually benefit sometimes from taking a more cohesive look at how to promote equality and have a more balanced outreach programme in relating to Londoners in all their diversity? The point I am putting to you is that we seem to be very well developed on the core GLA side and much less systematic in terms of promoting equalities through our outreach work on the...

• Question by: Brian Coleman
• Meeting date: 12 January 2005

We are all looking forward to the Mayor's presence at the Bureau of Leaders' meeting at lunchtime.

• Question by: Murad Qureshi
• Meeting date: 12 January 2005

It sounds to me as if it is easier for Assembly Members to make bookings than for the Mayor.

• Question by: Murad Qureshi
• Meeting date: 12 January 2005

I will ask the question again. Is it appropriate that events like the Assembly media reception are undertaken without any formal audit trail?

• Question by: Murad Qureshi
• Meeting date: 12 January 2005

Have senior officers expressed any concerns about the controls applied to Assembly Member bookings?

• Question by: Murad Qureshi
• Meeting date: 12 January 2005

Could you tell me how the procedure differs for mayoral events?

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 12 January 2005

Can you tell us who else you have invited here to debate in City Hall with whom you have a profound disagreement of views?

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 12 January 2005

I have no problem with that. Would you agree, therefore, as you have just demonstrated, that a robust exchange of views is more likely to take place where there is a profound disagreement of views? I would guess that must be self-evident.

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 12 January 2005

Mr Mayor, do you recall that when the Assembly debated the issue shortly after the visit in July, in the end we passed an amended motion which began by saying, `We affirm our commitment for free speech and a robust exchange of views'?