• Question by: Mike Tuffrey
• Meeting date: 11 June 2003

To be clear, I am not talking so much about individual taxpayers allow for. Some estimates have said the Jubilee Line, for example, raised land values by £13 billion and capturing even a quarter of that would have paid for the whole line. The study is about new mechanisms to capture some of those general development gains, rather than the specific project gains.

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 11 June 2003

As a user of the Central Line, I just want to assure you that there was actually no positive element to the Chancery Lane incident. My constituency in Redbridge were absolutely outraged when the decision was made to close down the Hainault loop for further engineering work, after the rest of the Line had reopened. We really did wonder why that work could not have been done during the time that the rest of the Line was closed. I am a bit surprised that Lynne is suggesting this and I would like your assurance that you will not take this...

• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 11 June 2003

• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 11 June 2003

I understand where you are coming from on that, but I have to say I thought the Government did a terrible job in negotiating the PPP. Do you think your skills will be better than the Government's?

• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 11 June 2003

I am not saying `rush', but you must understand that for three years I and others, including Bob Kiley, have said that PPP is not going to deliver for London. Therefore, while you are doing what you can with the PPP and with London Underground, I am asking for a commitment that you look for flexibility in the contract and will look for add ons, perhaps not in the first year but the work surely has to start now in looking for where you can deliver more for London than the Government has saddled us with.

• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 11 June 2003

I hear what you are saying and I understand. You have three pieces of work: you must manage the contracts, manage the Tube running, and this third piece of work I am nagging you about. You do not want to raise expectations and you want to see that you do those first two pieces of work. I want to test you in two areas. The closure of the Central Line was one. I am looking at flexibility within the contract. You do agree there may be flexibility for negotiation within the contract, either along those lines or indeed along what...

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 29 January 2003

I am grateful for that Mr Bishop, but I think London is well-served by you and the other senior officers, who are directing these matters, those who are not on strike. As a professional officer, you would prefer the equipment that is subject to this £15 million bid sooner rather than later?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 29 January 2003

I am very reassured by that, Mr Bishop. If the bid is successful in April or May, whenever the Government is going to take the decision now, there will be a procurement process. And this is specialist equipment that takes a significant time. You don't just get them off the shelves in your local B&Q. I wonder if we have any timescale for when we will be fully up to strength.

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 29 January 2003

: Are you able to say when the fire boat was last used in anger?

• Question by: Tony Arbour
• Meeting date: 29 January 2003

Wouldn't a case to look at be some kind of arrangement with the River Police and the Fire Boat Service? This was a matter I raised at the first ordinary business meeting of the Assembly, and at that time the Mayor said that he thought it was a jolly good idea; indeed it is his longest standing commitment which he hasn't actually fulfilled. He said he would investigate it. This now seems an opportune moment for revisiting this. Will you do that?