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• Question by: Stephen Knight
• Meeting date: 24 October 2012

Stephen Knight (AM): To pick you up on the point you have just made around the high property values in London, compared, I believe with most other developed countries, we have very few property and wealth taxes in this country; we predominantly focus on income and sales taxes. I just wondered to what extent you think the high cost of housing in London is partly driven by the fact that it is a tax free growth area for people, by which I mean it is a tax free investment and therefore that has partly driven the speculation that has driven...

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 24 October 2012

Goodness me. I think this is a very worthwhile debate although it may seem a bit arid to some observers and we need to make sure we do not get too academic about it. Would you agree with me that around the world probably the single greatest source of income for city governments tends to be, in one shape or form, from properties? You have said a couple of times now that property taxes are so visible and so potent that virtually all political parties play 'chicken' with each other. Well, the opposite of 'chicken'; they are scared to look...

• Question by: Nicky Gavron
• Meeting date: 24 October 2012

Nicky Gavron (AM): While we are on land and talking about the planning system, currently the Assembly's Planning Committee is looking at the community infrastructure levy (CIL). That is, to a certain extent, a fixed charge, although there are lots of complications because it is set different in different boroughs and there is not necessarily a duty to cooperate and so on. On top of that is the Mayor's own CIL. I was wondering, this CIL is for Crossrail, but is the Commission going to look beyond that to the way CIL might be used by the Mayor in the...

• Question by: Nicky Gavron
• Meeting date: 24 October 2012

In the same spirit, how far are you going to frame for the Mayor any of the mechanisms he might be thinking about for the comprehensive spending review for London?

• Question by: Bob Blackman
• Meeting date: 10 November 2007

Can I just ask Mary about the LDA's perspective. The Memorandum of Understanding has been renegotiated. We have heard the assurances today about budgets but we clearly do not know what the position will be when we get the final outturn on everything. Have you got any concerns that the Government might withdraw revenue for support grant, for example, from the GLA to compensate for any cost overruns?

• Question by: Bob Blackman
• Meeting date: 10 November 2007

In the event that there are major cost overruns, you have not put this into your risk assessment of the project, that we would lose money as an authority from the Government in direct relation to any cost overruns that take place?

• Question by: Peter Hulme Cross
• Meeting date: 10 November 2007

Yes, you are absolutely right. London generates an enormous amount of wealth - according to the London Chamber of Commerce about £13 - £20 billion - which is then taken by the Government and used to subsidise the rest of the country, if not Scotland. We can certainly do with more money. As far as Crossrail is concerned, the Mayor has said that is probably the most important project, even more important than the Olympics. Nevertheless, the Government still found themselves with a shortfall of over £300 million and turned to the City to stump up yet more money in...

• Question by: Dee Doocey
• Meeting date: 10 November 2007

OK, and the final thing; I know I threw so many questions at you, but will the targeted offer be distributed to small groups with multiple needs?

• Question by: Dee Doocey
• Meeting date: 10 November 2007

My key concern is that it is not a scattergun approach that it goes to a lot of schemes but that it is targeted on very specific small schemes where it can actually do some good. Thank you.

• Question by: Brian Coleman
• Meeting date: 10 November 2007

Perhaps you could just give us the funding. Just pass the funding straight on.