• Question by: Andrew Pelling
• Meeting date: 18 October 2000

I am grateful for that information. Obviously, there is a good deal of transference of police officers from outer London into inner London. Do you think it is right for residents in outer London to be concerned about such a movement, particularly when it is very experienced officers who are being moved " and particularly in the context of the recently released Crime Survey figures, which showed an increase in street crime?

• Question by: Valerie Shawcross
• Meeting date: 18 October 2000

Actually, I am not speaking as Chair of the Audit Committee. Are you aware, Ken, that the leader of the Conservative Group on the Fire Authority issued a press release criticising the Chief Fire Officer by name for his decision to put a small amount of the PR budget into the launch party? Do you think it is appropriate for elected politicians to criticise long-serving and capable and loyal staff members who cannot defend themselves in public? Are you aware that the recent visit of the leader of the Conservative group of the Fire Authority to the headquarters staff has...

• Question by: Andrew Pelling
• Meeting date: 18 October 2000

It is all very reassuring to know that you are a very jolly chap and it is all a question of misunderstandings, but I do hope that there will not be other examples of this type of make-believe.

• Question by: Brian Coleman
• Meeting date: 18 October 2000

I am absolutely outraged by that. I actually declined the invitation to your party in the first place, so I have been totally consistent on this matter. When a previous Fire Authority has cut front-line services, I am prepared to criticise anybody who gives £2,000 from the Fire Brigade budget to pay for a drinks party at the Tate Modern, and I do not care who it is. As for the alleged "recent" visit that I and the deputy group leader of the Fire Authority made, it was back on August. Perhaps the reason that the Chair of the Fire...

• Question by: Trevor Phillips
• Meeting date: 18 October 2000

No - until the people spoke. The problem is public sector pay. Our concern is that, for whatever reason, you said clearly at the event that we had not paid a penny. That is the kind of thing that potentially brings us into disrepute. I think we want to make it absolutely clear what happened. Since this is the first that most of us hearing about it, perhaps you could say what is in mind for July next year.

• Question by: Trevor Phillips
• Meeting date: 18 October 2000

I think that the point here is very simple. As you know, between you and me, if one of us wants to throw a party, it is usually me rather than you.

• Question by: Andrew Pelling
• Meeting date: 18 October 2000

I understand that the overall cost of the event was £42,000, of which you said that £6,000 was paid for by private sponsorship. Why did the authority exist in a world of make-believe on this event, leading the press to say that this was primarily a private-sector-sponsored occasion?

• Question by: Meg Hillier
• Meeting date: 18 October 2000

Two things: first, is £100 million enough, even with authenticated claims; secondly, will you guarantee that this money is spent before congestion charging is introduced? This is of particular interest to people on the boundary, which cuts through my area - Islington and Hackney - but in a wider area too. People in Ilford and parts of Waltham Forest have concerns about park-and-ride arrangements. There would be many proven cases for this money to be spent in a wider area than just around the cordon.

• Question by: Meg Hillier
• Meeting date: 18 October 2000

Thank you for that. I want to make a special plea for pensioners in Hackney, who have been contacting me about this. Particularly, I hope that Homerton will be in that tranche of 1,000 over the next 18 months. Your news is very welcome. All Assembly Members, I am sure, could draw up lists of the hot spots in our areas where bus shelters should be a top priority. If congestion charging is introduced - all the signs, and your statements, point to that - we need to ensure that public transport is not just better but nice to travel...

• Question by: Nicky Gavron
• Meeting date: 18 October 2000

Could we please consider combining public toilets and bus stops, which is done in other countries? This is a good opportunity to put two important services together.