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

One thing you agreed you would do was speak to your policy officers at TfL to have them work with the NSPCC, because that organisation has done many things with other bodies that it could be doing with TfL to make the policies better and to educate your staff about having regard for children travelling.

• Question by: Jenny Jones
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

I hate to do this to you, Ken, because, being a friendly, talkative guy, you do make a lot of commitments, but during your election campaign you had a manifesto commitment to a traffic reduction figure of 15% across London by 2010. You also said at that time that the east London road river crossing would be built over your dead body, and they would have to put you in the first block of concrete. [Laughter.] Building that road does not fit with your commitment to reduce traffic by 15%, does it?

• Question by: Meg Hillier
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

So that is your vision for four years? All the other things, when you stand up and make commitments, are really just the window dressing? The Mayor: No. Meg Hillier: It would be very helpful sometimes if you did not make those other spurious comments - sometimes they are rather spurious - but focused on what you are actually trying to deliver. Then Londoners know what they are going to get, and we know how to -

• Question by: Meg Hillier
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

Meg Hillier: There are many of your commitments, some of which are going into place, which I would not gainsay - in fact, I even defend you to constituents. Believe it or not, one constituent actually complained recently about a new bus shelter in the street, which I thought was rather extraordinary. Little bits and pieces are happening in respect of pledges you have made, but what we are trying to ask is, where is your overall vision? At the end of your term, what are you going to say you have done? You are hoping you will get congestion...

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

That would be good. But while I am waiting, let me point out that, over the past year, I have had your word, I have had a pledge, I have had a promise and I have had your commitment - so I have had them all - that you will be doing something about the safety of children, women and young people on transport in London. You even gave a promise at Question Time that you would order officers to work with one of the well-respected organisations, the NSPCC. Have you done anything about that? You have also made other...

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

Can I suggest to Ken that he produces for us a "Ken's Glossary", so that we can see what he means when he gives his word; what he means when he makes a pledge; what he means when he makes a promise; and what he means when he makes a commitment? That would be useful.

• Question by: Toby Harris
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

Would it be helpful in future if your advisers held up a card when you are making a statement, saying "This is an aspiration, rather than a pledge," so that we would all know where we stood on this?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

Do you think that some of your commitments are worthy of review - that is to say, you should stand in front of us honestly and say, "Well, I put it in my manifesto, but it is not actually a very good idea; it would cost Londoners a lot of money, and we are not going ahead with it" - for example?

• Question by: Toby Harris
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

No. What I have said is that, as obviously this question led me to believe that you were about to produce a list of all the things I have failed to do, it was a waste of my staff's time to go through and try to anticipate you. I just wait for the question, and then apologise. [Laughter.]

• Question by: Toby Harris
• Meeting date: 17 October 2001

So what you are saying is that you do not actually know whether you are fulfilling your manifesto pledges, and nor do your staff?