• Question by: Brian Coleman
• Meeting date: 16 January 2002

Conductors on buses, this is one of your budget thrusts on TfL. I believe the pilot project's been on the route 55, which I'm sure you're aware runs from Oxford Circus to Leyton. Is it not the case that, on that route where we've used what were previously one-man buses and turned them into conductor buses, the amount of fare avoidance has soared dramatically?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 16 January 2002

Surely they'll learn very quickly that the trick is to stay out of bus routes and still save money from not paying the congestion charge.

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 16 January 2002

Do you not think that, apart from a deterrent on fines, your congestion charge scheme may actually be an incentive for people not to register their cars and will increase this type of crime?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 16 January 2002

You told us the figures were higher for central London than outer London so perhaps 10% is too low a figure considering your congestion charge is a central London scheme?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 16 January 2002

So does that also allow for the 10% failure rate on the cameras for reading number plates that the experts told us there would be, or do you expect the cameras just not to read the people who haven't registered their cars?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 19 December 2001

Do you agree that it is absolutely disgraceful that you give undertakings like that to this Assembly and to the public in London through the Evening Standard, yet, when you meet Ministers, you consider it is more worthwhile to discuss what Stephen Byers is doing over Christmas? Does that not demonstrate that you talk a good job, but you do not achieve anything? Would not London be better off with a Mayor who actually did more and said less?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 19 December 2001

Perhaps it is worth my while pointing out that the question was, had you raised it with Ministers? Obviously, you had not done so with Stephen Byers. In that answer to the Assembly in November, you undertook to do that. In the Evening Standard the other week, you said what a terrible job the Government had made of it, and that you would be taking it up. Since that meeting on 7 November, have you raised this important issue with Ministers on any occasion, and what has been their response?

• Question by: Eric Ollerenshaw
• Meeting date: 19 December 2001

Just on a point of correction: St George was not a Palestinian Arab; the Arabs were not in Palestine at the time. It was the fourth or fifth century.

• Question by: Eric Ollerenshaw
• Meeting date: 19 December 2001

I am sure we would reciprocate with a Scrutiny Committee on the flag. A serious question follows on from what Trevor asked, and it brings forward a question of mine, which I hope will save time later on. In your cultural diversity programme, you have celebrated Divali and the rest for the Sikh community. Are there any proposals to bring in the Jewish community and one or two of their celebrations?

• Question by: Trevor Phillips
• Meeting date: 19 December 2001

It is related to what you have just been saying, because I am puzzled by this debate about St George's Day. The quote which appeared in the cuttings did not sound exactly like you - it was a little too direct, somehow. Can you clarify this issue on St George's, and also on the Union Flag, specifically in relation to City Hall? I assume we are going to have a flagpole there. Is it your intention to fly the Union Flag and the London Standard there? I ask that question for a very specific reason - that the Union Flag...