• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 19 November 2003

There was a move towards bigger, more centralised police stations though and we just have one opening in Lewisham and local police stations are closing as a result. Is that the wrong way forward or do you want to see super police stations for those super boroughs?

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

If you wanted evidence that the localisation of policing is very effective, you will recall that you did a public meeting in Rotherhithe. In that area, following a local policing plan that was drawn up after that visit and the application of additional police resources and now some PCSOs, there has been a 25% reduction in crime and anti-social behaviour incidents reported. One of the problems that I think we face is there are many areas where there are hotspots of crime and anti-social behaviour, which cross the boundaries. You mentioned Crystal Palace earlier on with five boroughs. We have...

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 19 November 2003

John Stevens has said that he does not want to see any more local police stations closing. Do you think we actually need to re-open local police stations?

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

Do you agree that this just demonstrates that, despite all their noisy rhetoric, both the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives are in fact soft on crime?

• Question by: Richard Barnes
• Meeting date: 19 November 2003

I have always supported a national database for DNA and I believe that my party would as well, had there been a proper and full debate about it. But I believe that Lord Harris is being disingenuous and you are displaying a certain amount of ignorance this morning. It is the Criminal Justice Bill to start with, not the Crime and Disorder Bill. It was lost by 29 votes, the not contents were 130 and the contents were 101, so I am sure it could be brought back into the House of Commons where there is a majority of Socialists...

• 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?