• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 18 June 2003

Had you also predicted then that the Government was going to nick the Congestion Charge revenue stream right from the start? Was that also one of the predictions you made?

• Question by: Mike Tuffrey
• Meeting date: 18 June 2003

There were two things that caught my eye. One was your intention at that point to use workplace carparking charges to help fund some of your transport ideas. Secondly, the statement for what you hoped would happen in a second Blair term of Government that once the GLA had established the confidence and respect of Londoners and of Government it would be opportune to ask for proper tax-raising powers. In relation to workplace parking charges, why do you continue to rule those out? Secondly, in relation to making the case to broaden our tax?raising powers as you envisage them, would...

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 18 June 2003

They nicked your Congestion Charge revenue, Mr Livingstone. Why do you think that they are suddenly going to start to hand everything back to you?

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 18 June 2003

): Exactly. So does that not make the point that you are basing every bit of future financing on a Government that somehow is suddenly going to be completely different and do you all sorts of decent deals? Now you are saying that you basically cannot predict anything with this Government. So why should all this finance rest on this very flimsy assumption that the Government is suddenly going to do things differently than it has done in the past?

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 18 June 2003

Ken, let us just stick to the facts here. Firstly, it is quite untrue to say the London Chamber of Commerce was always against that. Actually it was not; it was a supporter of the Congestion Charge until some way through the consultation process when they did not like what they say emerging. So it is quite incorrect to say they were always against it; you know that and I know that. Secondly, on the same basis, London First has always been very much in favour of it. So you cannot rule out one lot because they always have an...

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 18 June 2003

Why is London First putting the record straight?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 18 June 2003

It is very clear that politically the congestion charge has been a success. I am quite prepared publicly to eat humble pie and say that some of my prophecies have not come to pass. But there is still this outstanding question about how it might affect the Central London economy when people come to renew leases, when people want to relocate small business there, and the effect on businesses who have passing trade. It could well be that your picture of life in Central London is that those sorts of employers do not have a future. If that is the...

• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 18 June 2003

I think the reduction in congestion is fabulous. I think TfL's financial projections are disastrous, but as you say it is a drop in the ocean compared to the budget of TfL. I think the wrong guess at the capacity needed on the buses is questionable, but what I do not question and I agree with you at this point, is would the Mayor not agree with me that we cannot carry it; it is far too early to tell. Is he aware that shops are going broke and closing down after 13 years successful years in business in places...

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 18 June 2003

Can I also suggest then that you stop putting in your thing that `London First has gone a long way to putting the record straight'. Presumably, their evidence is just as anecdotal as anybody else's.

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 18 June 2003

So why does your report say: `There has been a lot of misleading coverage about the impact of congestion charging on business in London. Research by London First has gone a long to putting the record straight." Who are you saying is being misleading? Are you accusing the Federation of Small Businesses and the London Chamber of Commerce of being misleading in their surveys?