Search questions

• Question by: Lynne Featherstone
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

Just going back to one of my bugbears since the ricin in Wood Green, when the local chair of the Health Trust, the local chief executive, and I think the local head of the Fire Service were not aware of the ricin incident until two days afterwards. Are you satisfied that in terms of a health issue, the communications are now infallible?

• Question by: Peter Hulme Cross
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

Just a very quick question. You mentioned a gas attack down, sir, the Tube network, like with Sarin. Do you have the necessary equipment to go down and administer help underground, and the necessary breathing apparatus to last long enough to be effective? For instance, if they do not last half an hour, you will only have about 15 minutes or so down there.

• Question by: Elizabeth Howlett
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

David Wechsler added:

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

Is all the alternative supply through the mains, or are you looking at making mobile supplies available or bottled water available?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

I was just looking back at Mr Wechsler's answer to the question on water supplies. He talks about a utilities sub-committee for London that was looking at dealing with this problem. Does that committee include representation from suppliers other than Thames Water, because certainly those of us in outer London often have our supplies from other organisations? I live in Romford. I get my supply from Anglian Water.

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

If we were to, for whatever reason, lose a large amount of Thames Water supply, would they be called on to fill that gap, and would they have the capacity to be able to do that?

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

I notice that the surrounding county councils, of course, are the responsible authority for civil defence and emergency planning. Do you think perhaps it is an advantage that they are able to plan at a county, as opposed to a borough, level? Is that something you should learn from London's point of view? Secondly, I also note that the very helpful plans, which you have detailed, Mr Wechsler, are made available to the public, both on, for example, Oxfordshire County Council's website and Surrey County Council's website, and that Surrey, indeed, has a dedicated SurreyAlert website. Do we propose to...

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

I just wondered if people might more logically think we would go to a London alert website, rather than a Bexley alert or a Hammersmith alert.

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

Philip Selwood added:

• Question by: Nicky Gavron
• Meeting date: 08 December 2004

Philip Selwood added: