• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 17 November 2004

When you say maximum, what do you mean by that? Do you mean them all?

• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 17 November 2004

I think it is important to get on public record, as Roger (Evans) has done, to an extent, the way you intend to use those powers, but you know you kind of sold your soul to devil, did you not? If you had powers to intervene in the boroughs, you sold out, and said the Government could intervene with you, so what do you think the Government is going to use its power over you to take away your supposedly devolved powers, now that they can butt in if they do not like what you are doing?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 17 November 2004

You are saying that TfL will effectively have a veto over work that boroughs do in certain roads.

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 17 November 2004

(Brain Coleman: I have to say, of course, the accidents are going up on TfL roads in the London Borough of Barnet, and the tragic deaths on TfL roads running through Barnet is a disgrace, Mr Mayor.) Thank you, Chair, for that point of clarification, which I am sure the public will find interesting. Can you tell us whom you have met in Government and what their response has been?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 17 November 2004

This question derives from the TfL board meeting on 27 October, when you told board members that you wanted to tackle boroughs that might run up and have a separate transport strategy for London, and that in that case, the Government could reserve powers to transfer control of principal roads to TfL in the event of, what you called, 'that sort of recalcitrance.' What did you have in mind?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 17 November 2004

I find there is an interesting linkage between this and the previous question, because it is very easy for us to all agree that GOL should be abolished, but as soon as we then talk about the disposition of powers between the boroughs and the GLA, we start bickering about that. Clearly, what we need to have is an understanding, a consistent relationship, something based on rules, which people can clearly understand, and they know what freedoms they will have, and they will know when problems will arise. Where this is leading is that I have been in correspondence with...

• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 17 November 2004

That is not a reason to give them power.

• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 17 November 2004

I have said, 'okay, valid argument,' but what is the Government going to intervene in you, because they now have the power to intervene if they do not like what you are doing? You are the Mayor of London.

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 17 November 2004

This is money that Londoners are having to borrow and pay for, it is not money that has been actually given to London. Let us be clear about that. We are certainly being allowed to borrow, which, of course, is tomorrow's payback: taxation.

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 17 November 2004

The bills, too.