• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 20 June 2001

Given that Stephen Byers has been quoted in his short period in office as saying that the Tube is a "top priority", that is a pretty horrifying scenario; and I am grateful to you for spelling it out for us.

• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 20 June 2001

The final point which concerns me is that, whichever way we go, we have the prospect of a court case which is very likely to go to appeal, one way or t'other, of the prospect of a complete collapse in negotiations with one of the preferred bidders and therefore of having to bring in a new bidder, and the likelihood that the contracts would have to be re-written. Isn't the reality, either way, that there is not a hope now of a penny piece of investment in the Tube this year?

• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 20 June 2001

I do not criticise you for that; but I think that many of us would suggest that the fact that this offer - which was put in the Labour party's manifesto as "the best chance in a generation" to improve the Tube - is on the verge of collapse within eight days of the general election suggests that it was an offer that was making a mug of you and of Bob Kiley. Don't you think that has proved to be so now?

• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 20 June 2001

Perhaps it will teach you not to go out supporting Labour candidates in the general election, I am tempted to say. [Laughter.]

• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 20 June 2001

I am very interested in your last point - that Stephen Byers is not authorised to vary Government policy. So it is pretty clear that the Secretary of State for Transport etc does not have power in this. Does that mean that it is still back down to the Treasury again?

• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 20 June 2001

Just a small matter! The Mayor: We left that to last. Bob Neill: You will agree that that is a touch ironic, given that you met Stephen Byers on Friday the 15th and that the Standard on Monday of this week, I think, carried a report suggesting that Bob Kiley was going to meet Stephen Byers, that very day, to say that "there is little prospect of a deal being reached over London Underground's future". It also suggested that you had said "that his Transport Commissioner feels it is becoming increasingly impossible" - if it is possible for something to...

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 20 June 2001

If they are moved, but will keep a job, can they say that they do not like the job they are doing and want another one? Can they actually choose among the jobs available?

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 20 June 2001

One of the problems with the management is that you spent rather a lot of time running them down, so their jobs are not exactly for life. I wondered whether you could comment on the deal that was done between LUL and the Tube workers. Most of us were very relieved when the strikes were called off, but some of us were rather dismayed when we discovered that the deal was that all these people would have jobs for life, relatively regardless. I wonder whether you can think of any other employer who makes that kind of promise to their...

• Question by: Jenny Jones
• Meeting date: 20 June 2001

How do you think he is going to deal with the low level of morale among Tube workers and in the unions and so on after this protracted struggle?

• Question by: Jenny Jones
• Meeting date: 20 June 2001

I am concerned about how it is going to be run over the next four years when it is finally handed over to us. Earlier in the year, you said that Bob Kiley would be staying whether or not the Government scheme went ahead. Is that still true?