• Question by: Sally Hamwee
• Meeting date: 28 February 2001

It is great when it is about access to information. Do you agree that a willingness to be open is of no use, either to the Assembly or to the public, unless we can readily access information. That means that information has to be offered - not merely that officers respond in a rather bureaucratic fashion. Simply saying, "We will answer questions if you ask us a very precise question," will not be sufficient.

• Question by: Sally Hamwee
• Meeting date: 28 February 2001

Thank you: I am glad I asked the question. [Laughter.]

• Question by: Valerie Shawcross
• Meeting date: 11 July 2001

Tell me if I am just being depressed and pessimistic today, but one of the things that sometimes, when I am in such a mood, strikes me about the GLA is that as an organisation which is designed to integrate policies and services and strategies, and deal with a very big picture, long term issues, we are sometimes an organisation with too many internal divisions professionally and structurally and where we have too many little big wheezes and press releases rather than substantial movement. If I was being depressed and pessimistic, I would say that this initiative looks like a...

• Question by: Victor Anderson
• Meeting date: 11 July 2001

Do you think that the SDS will be able to deliver a better quality design that you have talked about? Because I think that there is a danger that we will have a rhetoric about better quality design but not actually mechanisms for achieving it.

• Question by: Victor Anderson
• Meeting date: 11 July 2001

What advice will you give to the Mayor about the two different views in the proposals document about development of London? One of the views in the document is the emphasis on orbital public transport routes creating a city of interchanges. The other view is that there are four development corridors which link the City of London and central London to existing airports or a possible future airport in North Thames. With these two contrasting views in the same document, what view will you take?

• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 11 July 2001

Would you regard the London boundaries as actually currently accurately reflecting the conurbation in architecture and planning terms, and if not, what do you think the Mayor should be doing to take into account the impact on surrounding areas which really are part of the conurbation but outside the London boundary, to make sure that we do not have an artificial distinction in planning somewhere in the middle of Thames Ditton, so to speak?

• Question by: Elizabeth Howlett
• Meeting date: 11 July 2001

If I turn to the SDS on the paragraphs on London's homes, it talks about "future residential development will be built to maximise the use of scarce land". On the other hand is that absolutely necessary? What do you think about adding in the number of voids or the number of vacancies local authority wise in inner London and outer London? I have the figure for the end of the financial year 2000 and there were something like 93,700 properties that were vacant, homes that were vacant, local authority, housing associations, private rental. Should that not have been included in...

• Question by: Valerie Shawcross
• Meeting date: 11 July 2001

What additional facilities, support, integration, access to power and influence or whatever, would you need to be sure of actually making that difference?

• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 11 July 2001

Do you find the assertion that there are only two strategic choices, and we have to go for the very bullish growth choice, one that you are comfortable with, with your background in architecture and your understanding of the history of urbanism in the UK?

• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 11 July 2001

Would you think it appropriate that in fact his Chief Advisor on Architecture and Urbanism ought to be consulted before they are firmed up?