• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 18 October 2000

You say that all the boroughs have responded. Would it be fair to say that even those boroughs that support the principle of the congestion charge have flagged up a number of deep concerns which they would like to see addressed before they would be happy to support your policy - for example, the improvement of public transport for people living in their areas; the concern about displaced traffic around the zone; and the problem that some will have of people using their areas to park and get into the centre? I understand that such concerns do not come just...

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 18 October 2000

I do not know where this idea has come from that I am some sort of bizarre pigeon lover. Certainly I can confirm that it was not the Green group behind the plans to throw pigeon shit over Ken. That is not part of our agenda at all. The Green group were just keen to ensure that Ken consulted animal welfare organisations before going ahead with any pigeon population control measures. That is all we asked of him - we have not taken a view on whether it is right or wrong to feed pigeons on Trafalgar Square. Has he...

• Question by: Eric Ollerenshaw
• Meeting date: 18 October 2000

One was very good in the Afghan war.

• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 18 October 2000

Will you reopen the debate with Londoners not just about the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square but about all of them? It is strange that we spend such a lot of time talking about the statue for the fourth, when whatever we put on it will be out of sync with the other three, which hold statues of generals and people who fought wars. What is your thinking about a London debate on all four plinths?

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 18 October 2000

Are you certain that none of our Green friends were there? I think I heard one of them say they should run off to join.

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 18 October 2000

It was a bit of a shame about the disastrous launch, wasn't it? I was surprised that you of all people could have been put off by a bit of direct action when you were going to launch your World Squares project in Trafalgar Square. Have you rescheduled the launch of your taking over control of the square?

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 18 October 2000

Are you aware that the Met have re-costed their additional costs in the light of the specific proposals, and that the extra costs above those already provided for in the budget amount to £1.3 million, which is double their provision for a normal New Year's Eve? Do you know yet where that money is going to come from?

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 18 October 2000

When we last discussed this subject, you asked me to ask the leader of Westminster to write to you about the clearing-up costs. I wondered whether you had had any fruitful discussions with Westminster about those costs, which are considerable. As we discussed last time, they still have not yet been fully paid for the costs of last year's party.

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 18 October 2000

This appears to be another instance in which, superficially, it is all being paid for by the private sector, but in fact Londoners will pick up the bill. Is there not a risk that this is in the end being done rather on the cheap, notwithstanding that problem? In particular, will not many Londoners be rather disgruntled when they are stranded at midnight with no late travel services, because you have apparently said that there will be no extensions?

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 18 October 2000

The usual policing cost, for which provision is in the budget, is £1.3 million. The additional cost is a further £1.3 million. The £3 million figure comes from another £1.7 million in what are called opportunity costs - in other words, taking police officers away from duties they would be doing at another time in order to police New Year's Eve. You say that it is going to come from your budget. Do you mean that it is going to come from that part of your budget which relates to the MPA, and would you consider a suggestion which I...