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• Reference: 2010/0004
• Question by: Dee Doocey
• Meeting date: 13 January 2010

Can you update me on your progress with the academies programme, and explain what provisions are being put in place to ensure a balanced intake of children compared to surrounding schools and especially a fair share of children with special educational needs?

• Reference: 2009/0112-1
• Question by: Dee Doocey
• Meeting date: 18 March 2009

The Mayor has promised LDA funding for 10 academies. Has the Board yet considered whether funding secondary education is compatible with focusing on the LDA's core mission around jobs and business?

• Question by: Dee Doocey
• Meeting date: 18 March 2009

OK, a couple of quick questions first. Can I just clarify, any money that is left over at the end of the year, can you carry that forward or does that go back to the Government?

• Question by: Dee Doocey
• Meeting date: 18 March 2009

OK, you are very keen on academies. I am completely neutral on the subject, but the figures just do not stack up to me. There are 43 academies in London, and we have got published results for 27 of them, because a lot of them are new and have not yet published. Over 50% of them have achieved less than half the national average at GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education). What I am not clear about is a lot of these are run by some serious players. I mean, we are not just talking fly-by-nights; we really are talking...

• Question by: Dee Doocey
• Meeting date: 08 September 2005

Still, even in what you have just described, you have not mentioned any interaction with the people on the ground ' the businesses ' at this stage. You are talking about consulting the boroughs and consulting other stakeholders. I would have thought that at this stage, you need the information from the people who are going to be looking for the contracts, and who are going to be producing it. I find it quite difficult to get information. If I could, I will address the next bit to Tony (Winterbottom, Executive Director, Regeneration & Development, LDA), rather than you. Tony...

• Question by: Dee Doocey
• Meeting date: 08 September 2005

I know. I am not saying that you are not going to write wonderful strategy papers saying how marvellously the whole thing will work. What I am actually looking for is for you to talk to people, talk to London companies, and engage in debate with them. It is the same thing; it is the blue-sky thinking, the strategies, but where is the action?

• Question by: Dee Doocey
• Meeting date: 08 September 2005

I am terribly sorry to interrupt you, but the problem is you are probably not aware that the longer you speak, the less time I have.

• Question by: Dee Doocey
• Meeting date: 08 September 2005

I know, but you said in a radio interview recently, `We are the Mayor's agency for businesses and jobs in London, and for the first couple of years, we will be doing most of the work in respect of the Olympic Games.' Now, you cannot make a statement like that on the radio in a national radio programme, and then not expect local companies to think that they can ring up us or ring up the LDA and say, `What is the position? How can we get some of these jobs?'

• Question by: Dee Doocey
• Meeting date: 08 September 2005

I know he did.