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• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 17 January 2007

Can I just say that for me the meeting started well but from that last response I am really quite disappointed. Can we go back to the answers to Mike's [Tuffrey] question? If we are talking about openness, then why do we not see something like that in this document? Where would you see this approach that you have outlined in this document? Basically, from what you have said, you have a very narrow definition of a pension fund that seeks to be socially responsible. Let me just say to you, you used the phrase, `It would be lunatic to...

• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 17 January 2007

How long will that stock remain with your fund?

• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 17 January 2007

But can you tell me the share? And can I just follow you on and say, if you are thinking long term, are you not aware that tobacco companies, themselves, are disinvesting in the poisonous weed, and are going into different stocks and different products? So, can you not say that on this issue, you, as the Chair of this body, will be working with your officers to be shifting whatever that investment that is currently within the portfolio somewhere else?

• Question by: Nicky Gavron
• Meeting date: 17 January 2007

How is it reflected then in your own policies on your investments? How is that corporate social responsibility reflected in your own investment?

• Question by: Jenny Jones
• Meeting date: 17 January 2007

It does leave the question hanging in the air; what on earth is the point of having any sort of strategy or corporate social responsibility and ethical policy if you are not going to implement it by choosing between companies? Let me go back to your answer about the arms trade and tobacco. You say at the moment you are not big investors in them. It is my question you are probably answering later. In that case, why not take a principled stance and stop investing. There must be thousands upon thousands of people who are pension holders who would...

• Question by: Damian Hockney
• Meeting date: 17 January 2007

Our pensioners, Mr Newton, I am sure will take great heart I have to say from what I regard as a very responsible stand and your defence of their interests so I do congratulate you for that. One thing occurred to me. Obviously some people round here have talked about ethical investment and ethical being from their own stance. I totally accept and respect their position. Is there a possibility - and I certainly would not want such a thing; I do not want my pension being played as part of politics, even with things that I believe in personally...

• Question by: Nicky Gavron
• Meeting date: 17 January 2007

Could I ask what your policy is on corporate social responsibility and how that affects your investment strategy?

• Question by: Jennette Arnold OBE
• Meeting date: 17 January 2007

I did not hear your answer. Is your answer that your fund managers are being asked to move this share out of the current investment portfolio?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 17 January 2007

You say the Mayor has been careful to pick you a good Board. Has there been an increase in the politicisation of the Board since the Mayor took that job off the DTI?

• Question by: Roger Evans
• Meeting date: 17 January 2007

You have got the avenues, but how would you identify where there was demand? Where would you say a line should be drawn?