• Question by: Trevor Phillips
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

Everything you have said is very welcome. Could I raise one or two practical matters? First, would you take the initiative in urging the LDA to get together with the business organisations, particularly London First or whatever it is now called? The impact stretches beyond the tourist organisations which are members of the LTB. Secondly, there is still a lot of confusion about the tourist offer for London and what the brand is. There are two or three brands floating about. I wonder whether you would take this opportunity to use your authority as Mayor to bring everybody together to...

• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

I do not have up-to-date figures on job losses, because I assume they will start to come through only in the immediate forthcoming period. Many people have hung on through the foot-and-mouth crisis, and this is the final blow. But the LDA are taking the lead in this, and I know that they are working with the tourist industry to do what they can.

• Question by: Eric Ollerenshaw
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

On the Olympic bid, most of us, I think, share the concern that we want it to happen; but is a London Olympic bid for 2012 realistic now? We are talking about cost-benefit analysis and so on. My understanding is that Paris and Istanbul are already up and running. About eight USA cities are trying to bid and have websites up and running, and we have nothing. Should we be a bit more realistic, because it is having an impact on plans for various areas in the East End of London, as you know full well? It might be better...

• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

I would like to take you back, Ken, to project championing, and remind you that we discussed it on at least three occasions as early as 20 December, when we were all agreed that we would be looking to ensure that the World Athletics Championship happened at Picketts Lock. We have heard you say that you have been involved in championing the issue, and clearly we take your word on that, but I believe that many of the athletes and their families, and many of the clubs, and the whole area around Picketts Lock and the people who have been...

• Question by: Andrew Pelling
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

I will come back to the issue of Crystal Palace; I am grateful to Graham Tope for raising it. Is this an unfair interpretation of what happened immediately after the announcement about Picketts Lock, and I am misunderstanding your tactics? You had made very positive comments about the prospects for Crystal Palace if Picketts Lock fell through. However, you did not push Crystal Palace very hard after the announcement was made. Did you feel it was a lost cause to push Crystal Palace? Did you feel that you had to cut your losses and concentrate on trying to save Wembley?

• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

Moving along from that, you have previously stated that a sports strategy is being developed by the GLA in partnership with other sports agencies. I wondered what progress you have made on that, and whether you have given it a high priority, because it is part of the whole agenda for sport in London.

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

Finally, would you agree with me that it is crucial, even at this very late stage, that we keep the World Athletics Championship; that, having been awarded it, if we lose it our prospects for getting the 2012 Olympic Games are virtually nil?

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

Would you consider supporting Crystal Palace now as an alternative venue, given your view about Picketts Lock? What about Crystal Palace and the proposals that are now coming from there?

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

Thank you for that very full answer. I thought it started off in a very defensive and rather complacent way, and I am pleased that you eventually moved on to accepting that London's reputation does need repairing, whoever's fault that is. The fiasco over Wembley, and the even greater fiasco over Picketts Lock, have damaged us greatly. Would you accept, as you have done previously when we have looked at major events - particularly New Year's Eve - that one of the key factors missing has been clear and strong leadership? With hindsight, what more do you think you could...

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

Thank you for that very full answer. I thought it started off in a very defensive and rather complacent way, and I am pleased that you eventually moved on to accepting that London's reputation does need repairing, whoever's fault that is. The fiasco over Wembley, and the even greater fiasco over Picketts Lock, have damaged us greatly. Would you accept, as you have done previously when we have looked at major events - particularly New Year's Eve - that one of the key factors missing has been clear and strong leadership? With hindsight, what more do you think you could...