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• Question by: Mike Tuffrey
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

Thinking about evacuation, I am sure you will agree it is important that the extent to which people are educated in advance of the crisis about what is expected of them will help in the management at the time. Looking at the Preparing for Emergencies booklet, which has been mentioned, that has three generic bullet points on this issue, and if you compare that with what is available to New Yorkers, in terms of a very detailed guide, with evacuation there absolutely, all sorts of things, down to what to do with your pets, which I am sure is a...

• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

Bob Neill (AM): I am sure that is right. It is a shame that GOL are not here so that we could have heard it be said. Brian Coleman (Chair): Indeed, we wish Mr Kowalczyk was here, so we could pay tribute to him this morning, but unfortunately he is not. I am sure, however, his spies are in the audience somewhere. Can I just ask, Mr Mayer, are you saying we need, in your professional opinion as an officer ' or 'mere bureaucrat,' as you describe yourself ' that we need an office of emergency planning in London?

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

Let me share your optimism and your confidence ' which I think I do, really ' for what would happen in, say, the first 48 hours, when we deal with the immediate crisis. What I would like to probe is what happens after the first, say, 48 hours, when we really are getting into the recovery period, when it is, perhaps, less of a crisis and more of an emergency. Who is going to be taking charge then? What is the role of the Mayor and the GLA, and what are the roles of the individual London boroughs? Who is...

• Question by: Richard Barnes
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

I would have thought that within minutes it would have been obvious even to the most lowly of Londoners whether an issue was of a major catastrophe or just a local incident, so I am surprised that it is going to take 48 hours to determine who takes the lead, because as soon as something happens, in less than 48 seconds, CNN and Sky will want to be there, and they will be taking the lead. Therefore, who actually is going to fill that gap whilst you are hauling in chief executives from Essex or Hertfordshire, as I know where...

• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

An important part of what we want to try to achieve is to reassure Londoners that proper procedures are in place. What reassurance is there? What can I say to my constituency as to who is in charge at the moment for planning a) for resilience, b) for recovery? Secondly, who is providing the money for those, and where is it going?

• Question by: Bob Neill
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

Is that the answer to all the questions? The whole lot? At the moment, we have a scenario where the boroughs have some emergency planning, civil defence, old-fashioned-type powers. LFEPA has some powers. The other emergency services have a smattering of powers. Are you satisfied, Mr Mayer, that we have an accountable form of joining those together, or do we have a reassurance gap, as far as London is concerned? It may be being done by Nick Raynsford, but how do we assure Londoners that it is being'?

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

I will actually follow the theme to where we have got to. I know that in the event of a major incident, a catastrophic incident, the Metropolitan Police Commissioner is in overall charge of the coordination of the emergency services - at least I believe that is the case. What I would like to know is who is actually in charge after the first few days? Who is going to be in charge giving the message to Londoners in the days and weeks that follow such an emergency? I have to say, what Mr Pilgrim was saying, which is not...

• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

Can I press you a bit further on this, then, Mr Mayer. I paraphrase what you were saying, of course, but the first that happens is that we have a discussion on how major an incident it is, and therefore who takes the lead for it. Then we have, what I am sure will be an interesting discussion between the Minister for London and the Mayor of London as to who gets on the television first, and if it is not a sufficiently important incident, then the director of GOL takes charge of us all. That is not quite what...

• Question by: Angie Bray
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

Have you had regular meetings with the 2012 group to formulate your 12th Theme?

• Reference: 2004/0381-1
• Question by: Graham Tope
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

What recovery plans of London's critical infrastructure e.g. transport, food and water supply, commerce and finance, health services, power supply, are in place in the event of a major incident?