• Question by: Louise Bloom
• Meeting date: 29 June 2000

I would certainly agree on the opinion polling. I have a deep seated suspicion and hatred of focus groups going back to my career in advertising which is something you can imagine I keep very quiet nowadays but also, how are we going to get to opinion polling and even focus groups don't get to people who are socially excluded. People like that, maybe disabled people or people who have lower educational levels than others whose opinions are still extremely valid.

• Question by: Sally Hamwee
• Meeting date: 29 June 2000

Asked whether a reply had yet been received; as there had not yet been one, she hoped the Mayor would chase up a reply.

• Question by: Elizabeth Howlett
• Meeting date: 29 June 2000

I have a second supplementary, please. Will you appreciate that, of course, we have diverse economies across Europe and particularly in this country we go for home ownership in a very big way, whereas on the continent they have a very large rental market. So people are justifiably worried about mortgage rates, for instance, equally a cause for concern would be our taxpayers taking the offer to contributing to pension costs in Italy, for instance, and, therefore, would you agree that people are justifiably worried about the pound in their pocket, not only disappearing but what replaces it being substantially...

• Question by: Elizabeth Howlett
• Meeting date: 29 June 2000

So, in other words, Mr Mayor, you are not chastened in any way by your Government.

• Question by: Valerie Shawcross
• Meeting date: 29 June 2000

I asked the question not just because I would like to know the company that we are going to be keeping on the Cabinet - and having seen Stephen Norris crop up somewhere in Transport for London I think I would like to know even more - but an issue at the other end of the age scale, looking at education in London, is a question I have asked elsewhere; given the desperate skills shortage that the business community is talking about, given the turbulence, the changes that are taking place in the post school education service in London and...

• Question by: Valerie Shawcross
• Meeting date: 29 June 2000

In the spirit of scrutiny, do you think there was anything that you said or did during your campaign that may have prompted some of these unrealistic expectations?

• Question by: Valerie Shawcross
• Meeting date: 29 June 2000

I think Chair perhaps we will come back to this one at future meetings over coming years.

• Question by: Valerie Shawcross
• Meeting date: 29 June 2000

Well Ken, you have just said that you were one of life's optimists and I think we are giving you an opportunity to start the process of letting the public down gently if there is something you need to say now. Are you saying, therefore, that you think everything in your manifesto was realistic and achievable?

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 29 June 2000

There has been some research done on this " this is one of my Election ideas you can have for free " to use surplus stocks which can be channelled free into schools through the Intervention Board. There is a lot of research done by the National Heart Forum at Kingston. It is an idea which I think can b taken forward ad can capture Londoners' imagination and improve health problems.

• Question by: Darren Johnson
• Meeting date: 29 June 2000

What proposals do you have for the lesbian and gay community in London; and will you be making any announcements on Saturday at Mardi Gras