• Question by: Richard Barnes
• Meeting date: 11 December 2002

Can I ask if you believe you have advanced the health of London since you've been there, or is the department an expensive waste of time?

• Question by: Nicky Gavron
• Meeting date: 11 December 2002

I just wanted to know, Neale, what work is being done about low birth weight and the low birth weight rate in London. I know this country has one of the highest low birth weight rates in Europe and the low birth weight rate in London is likely to be very high because of the numbers of children living in poor environments. And low birth weight is the biggest biological indicator of deprivation, and very closely linked to poverty. It leads to early death in infancy. It leads to ill health throughout life. It leads to disability and it's very...

• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 11 December 2002

It's a great shame in my view. Dom you know what further health awareness campaigns the Mayor may have planned, following the "Saving Londoners" Lives' campaign that he did? That is one of the things he could consider.

• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 11 December 2002

Neale, thank you. Can I just say to you that if we were to be going to Southwark, Lambeth, Hackney and Lewisham tomorrow, given all that you have said, which strategy would you tell us to say to this individual, "That is how the Mayor is going to pull a lever or make a difference". I hear all you've said, but it's just like that's mapping, that's informing, that's pulling together data. People want something extra from the Mayor and the London Authority. What would that be from the strategy?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 22 May 2002

I am very pleased to be debating this again. You may recall I put a similar question in November, and I strongly support your position. I don't think it's a party position at all. The public sale of fireworks should be restricted or banned, and they should be restricted to displays for the very reasons that Nicky has described. We all have constituency examples of these. The question I had today on this subject was, what actions are you taking to take this forward? I think Nicky has opened up the question and, indeed, it relates to the one about...

• Question by: Nicky Gavron
• Meeting date: 22 May 2002

Can we, therefore, help sponsor a Private Member's Bill?

• Question by: Nicky Gavron
• Meeting date: 22 May 2002

That's very helpful. I don't know if you are aware, but there is a second reading of a Ten Minute Rule Bill going through Parliament at the moment, which Joan Ryan, the MP for Enfield North, is backing. This bill is looking at stopping the sale of fireworks to the public - exactly as you have recommended - and making sure that the person who buys has to be licensed. That's had a lot of support from MPs and many of my constituents, and maybe this is something that the Mayor and the GLA should give their backing to.

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 22 May 2002

Can I move you on to a slightly different part of your report? It's in connection with the Westminster City Council's hope to get a judicial review. I think they have got one actually.

• Question by: Eric Ollerenshaw
• Meeting date: 22 May 2002

Does the government's continued failure on this major scheme in London convince you of the need to be back in the Labour party or to stay out of it as an independent?

• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 22 May 2002

I think there are a whole raft of concerns about the go live date, which really are substance based, but in terms of the judicial review I would have thought you had nothing much to fear because I believe that you have consulted very rigorously and you've also been through an extensive scrutiny of this Assembly, which has put certain caveats. But I would suggest, Mayor, that the reason for the Conservatives in Westminster seeking a judicial review, are spurious. Would you not agree that, given they were willing to drop their request for a judicial review on the basis...