• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 19 June 2002

Well, that's not quite the case as I understand it. E. Noël Harwerth was appointed some time before then and indeed her details were on the website list of TfL Board members, but Bob's had not yet been put on there, which makes me think that you're being economical with the truth again. But I don't want to get into an argument with you about that detail, because the important point here is that you've got a Board here which has four trade union representatives who represent the interests of the workers effectively or otherwise. You have increased business partnership...

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 19 June 2002

As I understand, when you first constituted your board, Dave Wetzel was your active deputy head and he was paid for three days a week. He had an office with his own staff and when Bob Kiley came in he took away those privileges that Dave had and Dave no longer has that executive role. I would argue you created a vacuum by investing in Bob Kiley such super human strength. You've made yourself incapable of challenging the problems that are developing within Transport for London in terms of its bureaucracy, its unaccountability and its inability to communicate with Londoners...

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 19 June 2002

Of course, your most recent appointment, Mr Mayor, was of Bob Crowe. Do you agree with his view that one strike is worth ten elections and does that represent the philosophy that Transport for London will be following in future?

• Question by: Eric Ollerenshaw
• Meeting date: 11 December 2002

Can I just go back to where you commented about Westminster and your negotiations with all political persuasions in terms of authorities. You say there's actually a decent relationship out there with Tory boroughs, Labour boroughs, Liberal and hung boroughs, in terms of attempting to meet the London Plan targets?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 11 December 2002

Don't worry, I won't quote you or misquote you. Obviously with new housing comes a requirement for infrastructure - hospitals, fire stations, police station, ambulance stations, schools - how successful have you been in convincing the Government of the need for these additional capital projects?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 11 December 2002

Around £6 billion. So, in fact, it's less than the £7 billion that you condemned the Thatcher Government for cutting investment to in the answer to your last question.

• Question by: Mike Tuffrey
• Meeting date: 11 December 2002

I absolutely agree with your analysis and I think all political parties should recognise the lack of attention to affordable housing - we all talk about education and I think it affects all political parties. We do have a Mayor who is supposedly not in a political party, and my whole point is he should be leading the scale of debate on affordable housing to shift the national debate in the direction you're implying. That's for him and not for you. Roger Evans: You made much of the investment pre-1979 in social housing at £11 billion to £12 billion. I...

• Question by: Mike Tuffrey
• Meeting date: 11 December 2002

Sticking with the money, when you came with Duncan Barrie to the Economic and Social Development Committee, we examined this issue and what was said then was, and I quote, "In general terms, we are looking for an increase in investment for our total programme from public subsidy in the realm of two to three times the current level if we are to meet the full housing needs backlog over ten years". Welcome though the increases have been, we are nowhere near a doubling or trebling of the amount of public subsidy, which is the level that we need. What...

• Question by: Mike Tuffrey
• Meeting date: 11 December 2002

Do you know exactly how much?

• Question by: Mike Tuffrey
• Meeting date: 11 December 2002

Thank you for that reply. You will be aware that I have been pushing the Mayor because of this huge gap between the needs, on the demand side of the equation, and the supply, even on fairly optimistic assumptions, I have been pushing the Mayor on that. And his response could be typified by, "Well, I"m doing what I can'. And I've been saying that's not good enough, he should be lobbying hard on behalf of London. You're right on the money. Some of it is coming through. Can I just pick you up on the Challenge Fund on how...