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

The Environment Agency, in their response to the draft SDS, raise concerns about the treatment of flood risk in the Thames Gateway, and say that the key issues addressed do not include the management of flood risks. Are you proposing to take that concern on board and look again at that aspect of the SDS? If we are to do it, it clearly needs to be addressed, doesn't it?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 21 November 2001

Returning to the spirit of the question, and following Bob Neill's point, I do not think it is widely known, because it is not the most interesting issue in the world, but a large part of the budget of the LDC was spent on this very issue of flood protection in the Royal Docks area on the Isle of Dogs. Without that, the development would not have been possible - and clearly it will not be possible within the limited resources you have. The end of the question is, is there a role for London government to co-ordinate - to...

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

You referred to the "protection" offered by the Thames Barrier degrading faster than anticipated. Do you know what assessments are being made of the Thames Barrier's ability to cope with the clearly greatly increased usage that will come over the next century? Linked to that, in all your discussions about emergency planning in the last month or two, has any consideration been given to what we will do in London in the unfortunate eventuality that, for whatever reason, the Thames Barrier does not work at all?

• Question by: Nicky Gavron
• Meeting date: 21 November 2001

Nicky Gavron: This is a very timely issue. All over London there are tributaries, brooks and rivers that the Thames Barrier does not affect. We are all affected. In my constituency of Enfield, flooding has been a very big issue in the past few weeks. A new pump has just been installed because some roads could not cope. There has been controversy about proposals to build houses on flood plains, and already there has been flooding with houses built on flood plains. The scrutiny process is very welcome, but in my view it will not be - The Chair: Nicky...

• Question by: Andrew Pelling
• Meeting date: 21 November 2001

I must declare an interest as a member of the Environment Agency's South-East of England group. First, thank you for wanting to look at the issue of the cleaning of drains. Lack of cleaning led to flooding on the main A23 at Purley Cross recently. But do you also think that there may be a role for us occasionally, as the GLA, in trying to promote co-ordination between different water companies at the outer edges of London, where there are borders between Thames Water and the former East Surrey Company - now East Surrey and Sutton, I think? There were...

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 21 November 2001

I see them quite regularly, not least because one parks around the back of my house while the guys go off to breakfast in the canteen in the morning; and it is out every day. Are you saying that this is just a matter of cleaning out the sewers rather than any design changes?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 21 November 2001

Do you feel that the emergency services are adequately prepared to deal with flooding incidents?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 21 November 2001

You do not visit outer London very often, but I can tell you that a lot of east London is outside the Thames barrier. Do you feel that the flood defences for that part of London are satisfactory, and is that something that you plan to address in your strategies?

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 21 November 2001

You will be pleased to know that Michael Ward actually gave that guarantee on behalf of the LDA a few weeks ago in answer to a similar question.

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 21 November 2001

On the Thames Gateway, we have already heard about the Environment Agency's concerns about draft SDS proposals. Although we all want to see regeneration in the Thames Gateway, are you going to give a guarantee that you will follow Environment Agency advice in both the spirit and the letter in your SDS?