• Question by: Elizabeth Howlett
• Meeting date: 15 September 2004

Now that you are in the Labour Party you will back that up with influence with your Government?

• Question by: Elizabeth Howlett
• Meeting date: 15 September 2004

You have written to Thames Water to tell them to do it?

• Question by: Elizabeth Howlett
• Meeting date: 15 September 2004

Mr Mayor, I understand that Thames Water did try to put the interceptor pipe, a 20?mile?long pipe costing £1 billion, into the business plan, but when they got the business plan back after scrutiny by Government, this was taken out. However, I understand that you have now written to Thames Water to tell them to put this interceptor pipe, this £1 billion, into their business plan that they are going to present in December. Is that right?

• Question by: Jenny Jones
• Meeting date: 15 September 2004

There must be ways that you can make offers to Thames Water and what they can do?

• Question by: Joanne McCartney
• Meeting date: 15 September 2004

Thank you. We also heard yesterday at the Health and Public Services Committee from Thames Water and the Environment Agency that there were serious health implications from the raw sewage being let out into the river. I just wondered what your view was as to whether this may damage recreational use of the Thames?

• Question by: Jenny Jones
• Meeting date: 15 September 2004

What it means is that controls are actually too weak on these companies and on water quality. What can you do on that? Can you make some sort of recommendation to the Government?

• Question by: Jenny Jones
• Meeting date: 15 September 2004

Bearing in mind that this discharge was pretty much an environmental disaster and presuming there are going to be more discharges of this kind as other events overtake us, when do you think that this is going to become a real emergency, an emergency in terms of an emergency for London?

• Question by: Jenny Jones
• Meeting date: 15 September 2004

Jenny Jones (AM): Thinking about this referendum, I actually do not think that this really is a question to ask, is it? What you should be asking people is, 'Do you think that Londoners should pay for this, or do you think that the very profitable Thames Water company should actually pay for it itself?'

• Question by: Joanne McCartney
• Meeting date: 15 September 2004

Thank you. Given that this is such an important issue to Londoners, I wonder if you would consider having your office support the Assembly Scrutiny Committee in promoting our findings on the issue?

• Question by: Joanne McCartney
• Meeting date: 15 September 2004

We have heard that Ofwat have not included the interceptor tunnel in its five?year business plan, but that we have until December to get that provision included even as an option. I am just wondering what representations you will be making about this.