• Question by: Lord Bailey of Paddington
• Meeting date: 13 February 2025

Andrew Boff AM (Chair): Thank you. Assembly Member Lord Bailey, please. Lord Bailey of Paddington AM: Thank you, Chair. Just to continue this conversation about lithium batteries, I am going to start with the buses, because they will eventually have an enormous battery on them. Do we have the ability to put them out? Also, lithium-ion batteries are not the only way to power vehicles. Has the LFB looked at different forms of chemical to power these buses that might be a lower fire risk?

• Question by: Krupesh Hirani
• Meeting date: 13 February 2025

Andrew Boff AM (Chair): Thank you. Assembly Member Hirani, please. Krupesh Hirani AM: Thank you, Chair. On Sunday, 12 January, a fire broke out from a studio flat on the ground floor of a three-storey building in Wembley Park from which 21 people escaped and one needed treatment for smoke inhalation. The LFB attributed the cause of the fire to an overloaded extension lead. My question is to you, Commissioner, what is the LFB doing to highlight the dangers of overloading electric sockets?

• Question by: Thomas Turrell
• Meeting date: 13 February 2025

Andrew Boff AM (Chair): Thank you. Now we come to Assembly Member Turrell, please. Thomas Turrell AM: Thank you, Chair. If I may just add, Andy, on your retirement, that in the short time I have been on the Fire Committee, your pride and passion for the LFB is really showing, it has been good to see how you have used that as a force for change in the organisation. If I can address my first question to you, which continues on the theme of tall buildings on the fact that London is going to get considerably taller and look...

• Question by: Zack Polanski
• Meeting date: 13 February 2025

Andrew Boff AM (Chair): Thank you. Fascinating discussion. Assembly Member Polanski, please. Zack Polanski AM: Thank you, Chair. Good morning, both. Commissioner, I was really struck by Assembly Member Duvall’s words at the beginning where he said that there has been robust exchanges and we have had some of those in the past and he is right to say that as scrutiny we are not in your pocket and your only job is to tell us the truth, even if we do not like it, and I think you have always done that. I thank you for that. I also...

• Question by: Leonie Cooper
• Meeting date: 13 February 2025

Andrew Boff AM (Chair): Assembly Member Cooper, please. Léonie Cooper AM: Thank you, Chair. Following on really from where Assembly Member Hall had left off, I was going to ask you what you thought the single biggest challenge for the LFB is going forward, but you have narrowed it down to three areas, therefore I am not going to press you on which one of those is the most challenging. It comes down to do you feel that overall, the LFB has enough firefighters and appliances available to meet London’s needs? The appliances have changed. We have got 64m ladders...

• Question by: Susan Hall
• Meeting date: 13 February 2025

Andrew Boff AM (Chair): Thank you. The first supplementary question is from Assembly Member Hall. Susan Hall AM: Good morning, both. Andy, you know I often get phone calls from firefighters, which has been the bane of your life at times. One of the things that is constantly brought up as a concern is the fitness of firefighters. As you know, years gone by, they used to keep fit by putting out all the fires. Thank God that is not the situation anymore. We have dumbed down what they have to do in order to get in, as in they...

• Question by: Andrew Boff and Chair, London Assembly
• Meeting date: 13 February 2025

Andrew Boff AM (Chair): Commissioner, if you would like to also answer the question about the key priorities for the LFB this year.

• Question by: Andrew Boff and Chair, London Assembly
• Meeting date: 13 February 2025

Andrew Boff AM (Chair): Thank you. Just to save your embarrassment. I will not carry on a call for anymore names. I will now ask the first lead-off question and that is to the Deputy Mayor and then I will come to yourself, Commissioner. Deputy Mayor, what are the key priorities for the LFB this year?

• Reference: 2025/1210
• Question by: Chair, London Assembly
• Meeting date: 13 February 2025

Andrew Boff AM (Chair): We now move on to our question and answer session. Joining us here today in the Chamber, we have Jules Pipe CBE, Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration and the Fire Service and Andy Roe KFSM, the London Fire Commissioner. Welcome to the meeting. There will be a lead-off question from me as Chair to both of our guests. Assembly Members then may put supplementary questions. Please could I ask Assembly Members to specify who they would like an answer from when they put their question. Guests, we would be grateful if your replies were succinct so...