• Question by: Gareth Roberts
• Meeting date: 16 January 2025

Gareth Roberts AM: Thank you and thanks for that update, Mr Mayor. On the matter of the additional police funding, will that money be used to prevent the worst-case scenario outlined by Sir Mark [Rowley QPM, Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis] regarding the close of things like the Royal Parks Police, dogs units, mounted police, all of that?

• Question by: Zoë Garbett
• Meeting date: 16 January 2025

Zoë Garbett AM: Thank you, Mr Mayor. I have heard concerns from rough sleeping organisations and food banks about the operation of StreetLink and how some people are slipping through the gaps. I know this has been promoted as a way of supporting rough sleepers. I just wondered if someone from your team can get in touch with me after the meeting to hear some of these concerns because you will appreciate they are quite urgent. Thanks.

• Reference: 2025/0349
• Question by: Chair, London Assembly
• Meeting date: 16 January 2025

Andrew Boff AM (Chair): The Mayor will now provide an oral update of up to five minutes in length on matters occurring since the publication of his report. Mr Mayor.

• Question by: Bassam Mahfouz
• Meeting date: 05 December 2024

Len Duvall AM (Deputy Chair in the Chair): Right. Our final speaker of this session before we adjourn is Assembly Member Mahfouz. Bassam Mahfouz AM: Thank you, Chair, and thank you. I am just going to focus on community learning, and we know that classes like ESOL and basic skills are a really critical element of providing Londoners with a foundation to be able to achieve their full potential. My own mum’s story was that she was a teacher when she arrived in the UK but did not speak any English. She obviously trained up and got her English and...

• Question by: Krupesh Hirani
• Meeting date: 05 December 2024

Len Duvall AM (Deputy Chair in the Chair): Thank you very much. Let us move onto Assembly Member Krupesh Hirani. Krupesh Hirani AM: Thank you, Chair. Just on the topic of academies and one of those that was set up was on health and social care. Richard, maybe I will turn to you and others if you want to come in, can you provide an update on their progress?

• Question by: Zack Polanski
• Meeting date: 05 December 2024

Len Duvall AM (Deputy Chair in the Chair): OK. Let us move on. Assembly Member Polanski. Zack Polanski AM: Thank you, Chair. First of all, I wanted to echo what Assembly Member Cooper said earlier. I thought it was articulated really well. I might go even further. I did not know about the huge shortage in conservationists and ecologists - although I am not surprised to hear those numbers - but the idea we have to wait for the private market of a demand when we are in an ecological emergency is the exact problem if you relate it to...

• Question by: James Small-Edwards
• Meeting date: 05 December 2024

Len Duvall AM (Deputy Chair in the Chair): OK. We are going to have to leave that question there. The Conservatives are out of time. We are now moving to Assembly Member Small-Edwards. James Small-Edwards AM: Thank you, Chair. My question is to Ann-Marie and Ayo. I just wondered whether you could please speak a bit about the sources of funding for the ASF, the Skills Bootcamp and Skills Academy and specifically what changes are expected in these funding streams?

• Question by: Neil Garratt
• Meeting date: 05 December 2024

Len Duvall AM (Deputy Chair in the Chair): OK. Let us move on. Assembly Member Garratt. Neil Garratt AM: Afternoon. I would like to talk about fraud if I can, Richard. You will be aware that at the Audit Panel we have had two examples of fraud in this area, one where we had a college that had been taken off the permitted list which then attempted to backdate student registrations. We also had an example of dodgy subcontracting where the rake-off was passed down. Ultimately, by the time it got to students, there was not enough left to educate...