• Question by: Toby Harris
• Meeting date: 15 October 2003

Thank you for that. Clearly, there is a great deal of private sector support for the Olympic bid. I know the London Business Board is very much behind what is happening. Can you tell us what discussions there have been with the private sector about either PPP arrangements for contributing or helping with the Olympics in general, and, more specifically, in terms of private sector involvement in funding improvements for the general street environment in time for 2012?

• Question by: Meg Hillier
• Meeting date: 15 October 2003

I mentioned earlier about the IOC questionnaire and the general support locally, but there is an information gap locally. I appreciate what is being done, but out there people are not getting answers to basic questions. The questions they are asking me and other local representatives are things that are in the public domain. Ms Cassani, I appreciate that you have said you are concentrating on winning the bid and I think that it is absolutely right that you do not get too bogged down in the political detail. But it is more than political detail; it is important, if...

• Question by: Meg Hillier
• Meeting date: 15 October 2003

With regard to the future Candidature Committee where you have to identify members in the questionnaire, have you thought about how to involve the people? One of the strengths, which again the Mayor has highlighted, is the unique selling point of London having a diverse community and people need a place in it. I like the `friends of the bid'. Have you given any contemplation, or can I talk to you further, about the idea of a mutual set up where people buy a membership of the company in effect?

• Question by: Meg Hillier
• Meeting date: 15 October 2003

But even up to and before then, every time I went to a briefing there was information, but it is about it being out there in the public domain. If it is not out there people worry that there are these hidden secrets.

• Question by: Meg Hillier
• Meeting date: 15 October 2003

Absolutely. Sorry, I do not want to interrupt you, but I understand that and I know what is going on enough to be able to communicate to people who contact me. But there is no reason why they cannot know the information that was all shared with us at the two-day session last week, for instance.

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 15 October 2003

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 15 October 2003

Mr Mayor, we have constantly heard from you that London is subsidising the rest of the country to the tune of £20 billion a year. So do you not think that it would have been a relatively small return from the rest of the country to pick up this particular bill, given that in 1948 when the Games were last held in London, they were seen as something which was going to be of benefit to the nation and hence they were subsidised by the nation. Similarly, the Millennium celebrations were held in London but they were funded nationally. Do...

• Question by: Richard Barnes
• Meeting date: 15 October 2003

My question is about who is paying. I am fully aware of what the Metropolitan Police is doing. As we speak they are in Athens making sure that that Olympics is safe. Who is going to foot the bill, because it will be massive?

• Question by: Richard Barnes
• Meeting date: 15 October 2003

I am particularly concerned about the security issues, which Ms Cassani raised at the very beginning. We know what large events actually cost London today and we can project forward what they will cost in 2012. Who is going to foot this bill? Will it be Londoners through the Council Tax? Is it factored into your budget? How are you factoring it into your budget? I would guess that security between now and 2012 will actually change and the demands will be even greater than they are today?

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 15 October 2003

Honestly, this is completely outrageous. You are spending your time in saying that any criticism, any scrutiny, which is our function, is a criticism of the Games coming to London. None of us is criticising the fact that the Games are coming to London. We are criticising that we will have to pay unfairly for this, for something which really ought to be paid for nationally. You are placing an unfair burden on many Londoners who really are not going to get any of the substantial benefits that you are describing.