• Question by: Len Duvall OBE
• Meeting date: 19 December 2024

Len Duvall AM (Deputy Chair): The Elizabeth line is a gamechanger. It has made a dramatic difference about how we get about this great city. In terms of the performance of that line, given that we have come out of COVID, given where we are financially and the ambition for the transport agenda, you mentioned older assets and what we need to do with those and other issues. We have an ambitious agenda here. Given what happened on the Elizabeth line’s construction, when can we start talking about Crossrail 2?

• Question by: Emma Best
• Meeting date: 19 December 2024

Emma Best AM: Thank you, Mr Mayor. One way in which London government could be more transparent is by not declaring gifts and hospitality late, not misrepresenting who has given them, and not significantly undervaluing the cost of gifts and hospitality declared, all three of which you did with your Taylor Swift tickets in the summer. Given you received those tickets from a company that was at the time when it offered those tickets was tendering for GLA contract that it went on to win, will you restore faith and do as [The Rt Hon Sir] Keir Starmer [Prime Minister]...

• Question by: Andrew Boff
• Meeting date: 19 December 2024

Andrew Boff AM (Chair): If we can go on the clock for this? Mr Mayor, you talked about quality of rented housing. In order to protect tenants, will you be asking Jas Athwal [MP for Ilford South] to reveal the name of the managing agents who let down his tenants so badly?

• Question by: Unmesh Desai
• Meeting date: 19 December 2024

Unmesh Desai AM: Thank you. Mr Mayor, I know you have already talked about drink spiking. However, your office has sent me data that shows that 2024 is already the highest year on record for drink spiking. I welcome that victims are feeling more willing to come forward. However, these numbers are revealing of just how big of an issue drink spiking is. I know you are taking this very seriously. Will you be prioritising tackling the scourge of drink spiking in your upcoming Budget?

• Question by: Len Duvall OBE
• Meeting date: 19 December 2024

Len Duvall AM (Deputy Chair): Thank you very much, Chair, and welcoming the question being asked by the Member. In all these settlements and awards that we receive from central Government, behind this is fundamentally about some real structural issues around how that funding is used. Is that not one of the issues and one of the pressures that we are facing getting police officers to do their jobs in the right place? That is warranted police officers being warranted police officers, rather than doing support roles that can be done by non-police officers? Is that not one of the...

• Question by: Unmesh Desai
• Meeting date: 19 December 2024

Unmesh Desai AM: Thank you, Chair. Mr Mayor, I am not going to apologise for repeating much of what you have already said on the policing front. Why? Because it is important. The reality of what has happened over the last 14 years is not challenged by false narrative. What is the reality? The reality is that the austerity of the last 14 years was extremely damaging for the MPS, cuts of up to £1 billion. Cuts have consequences. This Government announced -- Andrew Boff AM (Chair): Assembly Member, please relate your question to the question. Unmesh Desai AM: Hear...