• 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?

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

Will you ensure that flood defences in the Thames Gateway are adequate before we allow development to take place there?

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

You raise an important point from this morning's discussion. Do you feel that that flooding is because of inadequate clearance or inadequate design? If it is the latter, is there anything that you feel you as Mayor can do to improve the situation?

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

Thank you for your detailed response, Mr Mayor. I can see that plans are well in hand to have things sorted out by 2100, but there are some problems during your present term of office rather than your second or final term. Over the last year, the Thames Barrier was closed 24 times. It has only been closed 62 times in its whole history, so one third of the times we have had to use the barrier have been in the last year. Given that, do you feel that the current flood defences provide London with adequate protection?