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• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 12 June 2002

My final question is about the quality of advice that the Mayor gets. I know this has been probed a little bit earlier, but I think we all know that, yourself excluded, the Mayor's advisors include a range of people who have political baggage behind them. How do you ensure that the Mayor gets good advice, notwithstanding thatadvisors may carry with them prejudices that help to inform their advice?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 12 June 2002

I think, to all intents and purposes, your average Londoner would assume that you are, with great respect to my colleague the Deputy Mayor, effectively a deputy mayor of London. Do you imagine there could be circumstances where a different Simon Fletcher or a different mayor might employ someone in your position who would have a more public persona and would, for example, be interviewed and speak on behalf of the Mayor to TV cameras?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 12 June 2002

You are in an interesting position in British politics. I think you are almost uniquely a heartbeat away from redundancy, in your position. It's a nice sound bite.

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 12 June 2002

Do you envisage following up an earlier line of questioning that you might resign from your position in order to enable you to campaign for the Mayor's re-election?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 12 June 2002

There is a well established civil service culture in the UK apparently which is'

• Question by: Mike Tuffrey
• Meeting date: 12 June 2002

Thank you, Simon. I want to give you full opportunity to shine because what emerges from the discussion so far, what we've focused on, is the process by which the office functions and the decisions that are taken. What emerges is a very central role for you as filter of lots of advice, controller of the diary, and so forth. That risks having you in the position of a shadowy figure operating in the background without transparency in the public seeing what you're up to. Could you just tell us what is the thing that you're most proud of having...

• Question by: Mike Tuffrey
• Meeting date: 12 June 2002

Okay, so you help set the thing up and those teething troubles were sorted out. You're well paid, Londoners would think, out of their money, to do a job. We're trying to see whether you're doing a good job. What difference do you think you're actually making, you personally, that Londoners perhaps would notice?

• Question by: Mike Tuffrey
• Meeting date: 12 June 2002

Is everything functioning perfectly now? How do you think things should improve in terms of the way the Mayor's office works and your role within it particularly?

• Question by: John Biggs
• Meeting date: 12 June 2002

Clearly you are not ruling out the possibility that you might resign in order to assist his campaign for re-election?