• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

Is all the alternative supply through the mains, or are you looking at making mobile supplies available or bottled water available?

• Question by: Elizabeth Howlett
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

David Wechsler added:

• Question by: Elizabeth Howlett
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

Thank you very much. One is still a little bit worried. I do not think I have had a proper answer, but my concerns are really about the legal responsibilities that local authorities ' the educational authorities ' may have. One presumes that in a critical incident, children may be removed to a separate, secure place from their parents. Now, this raises the question about legal and practical care to ensure that the children are well-cared for in the short- and medium-term. Now, the term 'in loco parentis' is, in fact, common law, and it does not assume the responsibility...

• Question by: Bob Blackman
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

One of the issues is, obviously, what would happen in a chemical attack or other form of attack which involves pollution of the air or water. One of the concerns then is that widespread panic could take place, so what would be the position of and what plans are there to physically constrain people within specific areas where those areas have been subject to the chemical attack?

• Question by: Damian Hockney
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

I am glad to hear the balanced view on that. Obviously, we totally oppose them, but one of the main problems is that many people claim benefits for them ' in situations like this ' when other countries, when you ask them, on their own systems, they say, 'No, it does not help.' The core of my question really was, 'Is there any evidence that has ever been produced, any specific data or evidence that is currently being used in order to justify the introduction of compulsory identity cards with regard to situations like this ' civil contingencies?'

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

Can I press you a bit further on this, then, Mr Mayer. I paraphrase what you were saying, of course, but the first that happens is that we have a discussion on how major an incident it is, and therefore who takes the lead for it. Then we have, what I am sure will be an interesting discussion between the Minister for London and the Mayor of London as to who gets on the television first, and if it is not a sufficiently important incident, then the director of GOL takes charge of us all. That is not quite what...

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

I will actually follow the theme to where we have got to. I know that in the event of a major incident, a catastrophic incident, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner is in overall charge of the coordination of the emergency services - at least I believe that is the case. What I would like to know is who is actually in charge after the first few days? Who is going to be in charge giving the message to Londoners in the days and weeks that follow such an emergency? I have to say, what Mr Pilgrim was saying, which is not...

• Question by: Brian Coleman
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

I vaguely think that is a 'yes,' but never mind.

• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

Is that the answer to all the questions? The whole lot? At the moment, we have a scenario where the boroughs have some emergency planning, civil defence, old-fashioned-type powers. LFEPA has some powers. The other emergency services have a smattering of powers. Are you satisfied, Mr Mayer, that we have an accountable form of joining those together, or do we have a reassurance gap, as far as London is concerned? It may be being done by Nick Raynsford, but how do we assure Londoners that it is being'?

• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

An important part of what we want to try to achieve is to reassure Londoners that proper procedures are in place. What reassurance is there? What can I say to my constituency as to who is in charge at the moment for planning a) for resilience, b) for recovery? Secondly, who is providing the money for those, and where is it going?