• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 21 November 2001

I am interested in the "former" bit. [Laughter.] I just want an undertaking from you that any dealings you have will be properly minuted, will be accompanied by officials and will be available as a matter of public record, so that we do not have the same problem in future.

• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 21 November 2001

I want to take this back to a serious level. Can I ask Ken to give us an assurance that, when he next meets the Chair and the Chief Exec of the LDA, he will ask that pair to produce updates for Assembly Members on this very important issue - not just about Wembley but about Picketts Lock as well. This is about how we are going to raise people's confidence in London's ability to put on big international games. It is also about giving confidence to the many young people involved in sport, for many of whom it is...

• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 21 November 2001

Have you made any assessment of how much Londoners might lose in terms of public money that has been wasted so far as a result of the extraordinary behaviour of the former Secretary of State and his Department?

• Question by: Louise Bloom
• Meeting date: 21 November 2001

So how will you be keeping an eye on how our money is spent? We know that major projects tend not to stick to budget or timetable, so if this project does go ahead - which seems highly unlikely, because of the all-round cock-up so far - how will you monitor what is happening?

• Question by: Lord Duvall of Woolwich in the Royal Borough of Greenwich OBE
• Meeting date: 21 November 2001

So what criteria are we going to develop in future to ensure that the money we invest in the interventions will really have that impact long-term?

• Question by: Lord Duvall of Woolwich in the Royal Borough of Greenwich OBE
• Meeting date: 21 November 2001

If my economic advice was that we were heading into a severe recession that would be long-lasting, I would seriously consider whether one should defer the introduction of the congestion charge. The most up-to-date economic advice, which I received yesterday, is that we still believe that the downturn in the economy is likely to be half as bad as the early 1990s, and much shorter in duration; and that, by the middle of next year, we will be coming strongly out of the downturn and the economy will be picking up. I ask for that forecast to be updated on...

• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 21 November 2001

I was very glad to learn that you had gone to the theatre with 16 of your staff, but sad to hear that you were upstaged by Camilla and Charles. Eric Ollerenshaw: Why sad? Lynne Featherstone: Because he is the Mayor of London - A Member: And elected. The Mayor: Republicanism rears its ugly head! Lynne Featherstone: Don't go there. Following your announcement of the half-million pounds for theatre, I had a raft of inquiries for free tickets, as I am sure you did. I wondered whether you would be able to give me some further details - [laughter] -...

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 21 November 2001

That is good, too. I think we all recognise that it will take a while to get back the overseas visitors we have lost, particularly from America, but it seems to me that a priority is to attract visitors from elsewhere in the United Kingdom. Quite a lot of work was done reasonably successfully during the foot and mouth outbreak on the theme "the countryside is open", and a similar theme of "London is open" would be welcome, and probably capable of the earliest success. Related to that, have you considered the possibility of what is sometimes known as a...

• Question by: Eric Ollerenshaw
• Meeting date: 21 November 2001

I notice that you have had a number of meetings with various business organisations, of which there are many - London Chamber on two occasions, London First, and a CBI gala dinner in Birmingham. Do you have a view on whether it might be better for the amalgamation of the London Chamber and London First to go ahead?

• Question by: Louise Bloom
• Meeting date: 21 November 2001

All these packages and schemes are being pulled together by various people, but I was worried about their cohesion. Is somebody - other than you, presumably - in overall control of what is happening? Is there one central body or organisation? I know that the London Tourist Board are doing this to a certain extent, but when all these bits of money are going all over the place, how are we going to know what effect they have had, and when will we be able to see whether they have had any effect?