• Question by: Mike Tuffrey
• Meeting date: 29 January 2003

The final point is the wider political point in terms of who basically runs fire and emergency services. Yesterday we saw the Government intervene essentially to try and nationalise the pay and conditions on the employment side of the situation. It really is time for the Government either to give us the tools at a regional level, to get the job down, and we've shown we can do it well, or to take responsibility. But this continuing muddle, where they intervene and they block and they don't provide the funding, and as I say, we're 18 months nearly since the...

• Question by: Mike Tuffrey
• Meeting date: 29 January 2003

But where is the equipment?

• Question by: Mike Tuffrey
• Meeting date: 29 January 2003

The country can move a quarter of the British Army halfway round the world to deal with a potential threat there. It can't, it seems, get some couple of hundred gas tight suits and some extra fire rescue units into its capital city. It is quite extraordinary. Can you tell me a little bit about the Radio Communications project, where, as I understand it, we were well down the road to having a regional solution? Post 9/11 the view was taken that we need to have an integrated national set up. That was looked at, announcements were made, press announcements...

• Question by: Mike Tuffrey
• Meeting date: 29 January 2003

It is deplorable that we're still waiting. We're almost 18 months since the 9/11 events. It is frankly a disgrace that nationally there is a lack of progress. And it contrasts very sharply, I think, with what we've been able to do in London through the London Resilience Forum, which I know you sit on, and all the sub-committees at a regional level, all the indications are we're getting our act together. It's, therefore, even more inexplicable as to why the Government -- and I honestly hoped you'd be able to shed some light. We dealt with the money yesterday...

• Question by: Brian Coleman
• Meeting date: 29 January 2003

I wonder if I could ask the Deputy Commissioner, I understand the Commissioner, who is not able to be here this morning, received a letter from Nick Raynsford on the subject of London resilience, a further letter. Will the Commissioner be circulating that letter to leading members and the Mayor of London?

• Question by: Brian Coleman
• Meeting date: 29 January 2003

But the letter, if I understand from what you said at Budget, fails to give us the £15 million.

• Question by: Brian Coleman
• Meeting date: 29 January 2003

I understand that the letter was addressed to the Commissioner, not the Chair of the Authority and, therefore, the Commissioner has already given the letter to the Chair. But my question is will the Commissioner be giving that letter to other leading Members and the Mayor of London? Will he, therefore, allay fears that the real reason why the Chair did not want that letter released, is because it will add further political embarrassment along the lines that Mr Tuffrey has already referred to about the Government's failure to deliver the £15 million needed for London resilience?

• Question by: Sally Hamwee
• Meeting date: 29 January 2003

Have you made an assessment of the extra costs that might be required for investment?

• Question by: Sally Hamwee
• Meeting date: 29 January 2003

What about the £2 million?

• Question by: Sally Hamwee
• Meeting date: 29 January 2003

And what about investment in order to modernise? Will there have to be money put in to achieve the objectives of the review, in addition to the imbalance in timing in the modernisation effects coming through on pay?