• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 20 October 2004

You seem lukewarm about criticising Tube Lines, but what do you think is worse: a company like Tube Lines that makes a profit of £41 million, or an organisation that makes a loss of £756 million and that you are in charge of?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 20 October 2004

Cynthia Hay (Co-ordinator, Capital Transport Campaign) today, also said about this that commuters have every right to be angry. She says the service continues to break down and, referring back to an earlier question, fares continue to go up. Do you agree that commuters should be angry about your stewardship of this?

• Question by: Dee Doocey
• Meeting date: 20 October 2004

): I do think that you ought to sit down with the boroughs and talk to them rather than dictate what they ought to be doing. It ought to be more of a partnership approach. Although I accept that there are officers, I think it would be helpful if you were to sit down with the boroughs on a fairly regular basis and listen to what they think is achievable rather than what you think is achievable. It does seem that you can accept 30% in Stratford, which is one of the biggest housing developments, but you will not accept...

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 20 October 2004

I would disagree with you, but would you please answer the question about the threshold being 10 rather than 15?

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 20 October 2004

No, that is instead of.

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 20 October 2004

It is an irony that these questions come from the Liberal Democrats, who in my part of London are saying that 50% affordable housing really is not enough; they want 50% housing available for rent, and then affordable housing on top of that. So far as what you have said today about the number of boroughs that have subscribed to your policy, it is interesting that many of those boroughs which do not accept your policy, do not accept it because they think that the standard of housing which may be provided if there is a 50% demand for affordable...

• Question by: Dee Doocey
• Meeting date: 20 October 2004

Are you then going to moderate your comments in the future when particular boroughs do not manage to achieve the 50% target rather than rushing to the press, condemning them? You have just said that you accept that in some cases it is not always possible, and it must be a target that we try to reach rather than something that is set in stone.

• Question by: Dee Doocey
• Meeting date: 20 October 2004

The strategic target to provide 50% of new housing supply as affordable was not introduced into the planning system until February this year when the London Plan was published. In the financial year 2003/04, across London as a whole there were 20,189 completions of new homes, including 7,609 affordable homes, or 35% of the total. This is only taking account of net new completions of self-contained accommodation, or what we would think of as conventional housing supply. Total new housing supply was, however, higher, including 3,585 vacant dwellings brought back into use and the completion of 834 non-self-contained units. The...

• Question by: Dee Doocey
• Meeting date: 20 October 2004

I would be absolutely staggered if we did, but I hope you are right. Do you not think it is somewhat hypocritical that you are accepting 30% for what you say are very good financial reasons? I have no reason to doubt what you are saying, but at the same time you are saying to boroughs they must come up with 50%, almost regardless of local circumstances. Surely you ought to be providing more support for the hard-pressed boroughs. For example, the planning officers are now having to undertake very complex negotiations with developers within existing resources, which are inadequate...

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 20 October 2004

So, as you say, you only consult when you are required to do so. You often say that there is less need for consultation, because you are always so open and honest during your election campaigns, and if people elect you they know what they are getting, but, throughout the election campaign, you kept insisting that you would not increase fares above inflation. As recently as 14 May, you wrote to the Evening Standard and said 'There are no planned increases to Tube ticket prices'. So, how did people know what they were getting when they voted for you as...