• Question by: Toby Harris
• Meeting date: 19 November 2003

Are you aware that in those police stations where there have been rapid systems to get fingerprint identification, to get DNA identification it has had a noticeable effect on the way in which those who are detained respond. What they are starting to say is once they know that their identity will be properly identified and it will be clear to the police who they actually are, as opposed to who they say they are, they are then admitting both their identity and also their involvement in a series of previous offences.

• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 19 November 2003

So, you agree that we should have this debate?

• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 19 November 2003

But if they are not charged and if they are not guilty, you are creeping into very dodgy territory.

• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 19 November 2003

Simon (Hughes) was promoted to London spokesperson. But I think you debase the argument about letting rapists off. This is a very serious debate about civil liberties and DNA. There may be some very good things around DNA but the proposal was to keep on record the DNA, regardless of whether the person was charged or not. So that is an important issue. Do you not think that there are civil liberties at the heart, of this, that if the government really believes there is a case for having every citizen DNAed or everyone who is picked up DNAed, that...

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 19 November 2003

I welcome the comments that were made last week by Jay Walder (Managing Director of Finance and Planning for Transport for London). I do not know whether you are able to add anything to these about the prudential borrowing regime, which is being introduced. It is a very boring subject on the face of it, but it does give far greater flexibility to city government. Do you welcome that? Do you envisage it being used flexibly to help develop London's transport, sooner rather than later?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 19 November 2003

This is in danger of being too easy as perhaps is the question. I am not always your greatest fan. There are elements of your transport bid that I am unhappy about, for instance, the prioritisation within it. But broadly, myself and I think my Labour colleagues support the bid you are making to Government. There needs to be some give and take in this, of course, because the Government which we tend to support on this side of the Chamber is going through a difficult spending round at present and we may not get the jam today. You may...

• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 19 November 2003

I quite agree, I change tubes there twice a day. I agree with you. All I am saying is, it is part of that budget.

• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 19 November 2003

Camden Tube redevelopment is one of the things that could go if you do not get any money, is it not? On Val's (Shawcross) Underground question, can you establish the nature of the closure because at the Elephant and Castle they were due to re-open last July and they are still not open. So, can we have a confirmed length of closure and can we know what guarantees are in place and what penalties if it is not open within a contracted time? What seems to happen is you start something and they never finish and then it is the...

• Question by: Brian Coleman
• Meeting date: 19 November 2003

As a constituency member who has recent experience of a bus replacement service when the Northern Line had the derailment at Camden, I hope Ms Shawcross has better luck in her constituency than my constituents had. Following on from that, will the Mayor confirm the rumours that the Northern Line will not be running properly till at least next March? There will be no Edgware trains to Charing Cross and no Barnet trains to Bank till next March. Will he make sure that this is not a prelude to making the Northern Line two separate lines and stopping the switchover...

• Question by: Valerie Shawcross
• Meeting date: 19 November 2003

Thank you, that does sound very comprehensive. I think we all understand that this work needs to be done and it is good that Brixton Station is being refurbished overall. But, as well as the impact on the commuters, I think there is some concern about the impact on the shops in Brixton in the run-up to Christmas. Will you do everything you can to make sure that the work is carried out as quickly as possible because we did experience protracted delays on the lifts and other works in Brixton Station.