• Question by: Nicky Gavron
• Meeting date: 16 January 2002

I know you inherited something very complex and impenetrable, but I don't think that TfL's situation, because it was bringing together a whole lot of different organisations (whereas at least however large, this is one) was a less difficult task. I am very struck by the complacency of the speed with which we are trying to get to grips with something, which is really desperately important for Londoners. The question is, don't you think you are a trifle complacent over this?

• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 16 January 2002

Can I move on to the same question I put to TfL in terms of capital and revenue budget in that to what extent is your expenditure that is currently provided in revenue budget, possible to spread out over a longer period in terms of capital? Can we be provided with an overarching schedule of those items?

• Question by: Louise Bloom
• Meeting date: 16 January 2002

Yes I meant MPS sorry, a slight slip of the tongue. That sounds great, but then are we going to have more consultants to manage the review of consultants? Exactly how is it going to happen and who is it going to be lead by? Where will we end up with the actual results, figures, performance indicators and all the rest of it, so we actually know that we have got the right level of consultants? Obviously I accept there is a need for what they do, but equally I share a concern you have already expressed about what they...

• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 16 January 2002

Can I just simply ask then that you furnish me, and anyone else who wants one, with a schedule of items that might be available to move from one to another so that I can look at, in a sense, your judgement on this? I can then use my judgement on your judgement as to what has gone where. I think if you're asking London to pay now for something that might be better paid for later, I want to see what that is in detail.

• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 16 January 2002

The point is that the objective, as London would understand it in terms of policing, is that there is a thread of baseline policing across all the boroughs to deal with street crime. There is not a borough that is not experiencing it. However, the reaction is to target six boroughs and, actually, I would argue with you that the baseline removal of officers is what has created this boom in street crime in the first place. What I am asking you is, if you're cutting £10 million in civilianisation, then the argument I'm getting from the boroughs is they...

• Question by: Louise Bloom
• Meeting date: 16 January 2002

I wanted to ask you about the role of consultants at the MPA. We see that there is a budget reduction on external consultants. We also know that there are many hundreds of consultants at the MPA, many of whom we're not quite sure what they're doing; consulting on each other, reviewing each other's reviews and all the rest of these wonderful things consultants get to do. Perhaps you can tell us how the savings are going to be made and are we going to get value for money on their work in the next year?

• Question by: Jenny Jones
• Meeting date: 16 January 2002

That doesn't take into account what's been happening in the boroughs and it doesn't take into account the exhaustion that a lot of officers are feeling and the stress it's created. You cannot say that £22 million covers that particular account.

• Question by: Jenny Jones
• Meeting date: 16 January 2002

The fact is, if the Government had given us what they owe us for the amount of anti-terrorist policing that the Met has done, then we wouldn't have to argue over a few million here and there.

• Question by: Jenny Jones
• Meeting date: 16 January 2002

What I'm concerned about is that, especially in view of the reallocation of traffic police that's happened because of the cost of the anti-terrorist policing, what we're actually going to see this year is another year's increase in road fatalities and road accidents. I'm very concerned that that's going to happen. That's happened for the previous two years and could happen again. Now, I think that the MPA and the Met will bear a responsibility for that, if it happens when we get the figures in March.

• Question by: Jenny Jones
• Meeting date: 16 January 2002

It does depend on how much weight is given by the Chair of an authority and how much airtime is given. Therefore, I'm asking you, will you personally accept the recommendations that come out of that workshop?