• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 18 July 2001

That is certainly welcome in terms of specific projects. Do you not think that, in terms of an overall approach, sponsoring some research into land value taxation for London could be of great benefit, and that the huge increase in value of land can be clawed back through site or land value taxation? There is growing support for it now not just from the Communists, if they still exist, but from the Liberal Democrats, the Green party, Friends of the Earth and others. It is time to get a debate going on this. Would it not be useful to commission...

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 18 July 2001

It is interesting, isn't it, that the Liberals always claim policies but choose not to mention them at tricky times like elections? I was not aware that they had been campaigning on that in the recent election, certainly in the London area - Louise Bloom: You did not read our manifesto, did you? Angie Bray: - and I can see why. The problem is to separate businesses from other values that may go up - such as for housing and people who own their houses in areas where new public transport arrives. Surely it would be difficult, for a start...

• Question by: Louise Bloom
• Meeting date: 18 July 2001

I certainly will be able to provide that information for you. As you may know, we have done quite a lot of work through the Henry George Foundation and various other groups on this subject, so I will be able to provide examples of Liberal Democrat councils which have put this into practice, and look at how we can do the same for the benefit of Londoners.

• Question by: Louise Bloom
• Meeting date: 18 July 2001

I should point out, because Darren might not know, that it has been Liberal and Liberal Democrat policy for about 100 years to have some system for land value taxation. Ken may know that there are people in our party who are totally obsessed with the subject. I wanted to slightly widen the debate by looking at ways of encouraging local participation in regeneration projects, using land value tax as the base - for example, to look at things like credit unions, as has been successfully done by Liberal Democrat-controlled Eastleigh Borough Council, at ways in which local developments can...

• Question by: Victor Anderson
• Meeting date: 18 July 2001

One thing we would need to make it a more humane document is some policy proposals on Challenge 6, which is creating a city for people. That is the only one of the six challenges that proposes no policy directions at all, and that is a very obvious gap in the document. There are many other similar gaps.

• Question by: Victor Anderson
• Meeting date: 18 July 2001

I do not think that is an answer to any of the four parts of my question, which was very precise. It reflects wishful thinking on your part about the way in which this document is going down. There is a lot of concern around, particularly about its over-emphasis on the City of London and the financial services sector, and the under-emphasis on other parts of London and its economy. Although I can see that you may well support these proposals, you should also recognise that there is a great deal of concern about and opposition to them.

• Question by: Nicky Gavron
• Meeting date: 18 July 2001

How soon are we going to get it?

• Question by: Nicky Gavron
• Meeting date: 18 July 2001

As a representative for Enfield and Haringey, I would like to add that it is very important that whatever is put in place deals with the issues there, both environmentally and from the point of view of traffic. I welcome the fact that it is going to be cheaper, but is it going to be quicker? The most important thing is that something is done soon.

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 18 July 2001

John Biggs: I wonder whether - Andrew Pelling: Haven't you had your allocation? John Biggs: Yes, I have had more than my allocation, but I seem to have got away with it so far. I wonder whether the consensus you seem to build with the SDS will be helped or hindered by your decision to abandon the improvements on the North Circular in Edmonton.

• Question by: Samantha Heath
• Meeting date: 18 July 2001

I am confused about the strategy - CO2 is not included in your air quality strategy. Will the work you have been talking about therefore be related to the energy strategy rather than air quality?