• Question by: Sally Hamwee
• Meeting date: 20 November 2002

My colleague, Jenny Tonge, who piloted the original bill, tells met hat the divers were getting very irritated that it was taking so long. And one of the things, of course, that they wanted to see, and I think the public want to see, is a way of knowing, by looking at the cab, that it is licensed, looking at the car. There's something on the outside on the livery. I know this has exercised you but what progress is being made in seeing that this can be achieved?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 20 November 2002

So, by 17 February next year, every mini-cab driving into central London will be able to get an exemption from the congestion charge, whether or not they're on mini-cab business?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 20 November 2002

But currently, mini-cabs are not licensed, mini-cab drivers are not licensed. I'd be delighted if today you're announcing that if, by some means, you are going to give them interim recognition, so they can be exempted, but I think otherwise, this is a very big problem for London.

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 20 November 2002

I was waiting for the answer, and it didn't come, which is how many mini-cabs will be exempt from the charge, when it comes in on 17 February next year?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 20 November 2002

Are you going to sack any of those people, or have any of them threatened to resign?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 20 November 2002

Which members of the TfL board opposed you yesterday?

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 20 November 2002

Do you accept that there are some serious concerns on the TfL board now, given that half of them refused to back you on this?

• Question by: Mike Tuffrey
• Meeting date: 20 November 2002

My question concerns the survey work, because certainly from our side, we are strongly supportive of the measures to regenerate the Thames Gateway area and are convinced that river crossings are necessary to achieve that. The question is really around how best to do that. I was, therefore, interested to see your survey which appears to show that only 2% of respondents are against the bridge. I have to say that figure is incredibly low. You get a higher percentage rating for people who would answer yes to the question whether the moon was made of cheese. 2% is below...

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 20 November 2002

Why did you refuse to allow a vote on alternative proposals to be forwarded, an amendment by Dave Wetzel at yesterday's TfL Board meeting, which would have allowed, as part of the public consultation process, alternative proposals to be put forward as well as the road river crossings? Why did you refuse to allow that amendment and then have to railroad through your proposals for a road river crossing, when there was a 50/50 split, and yet you had to railroad it through on the Chair's casting vote?

• Question by: Brian Coleman
• Meeting date: 20 November 2002

So, is the Mayor urging them to work normally until the enquiry comes out?