Search questions

• Reference: 2006/3012
• Question by: Peter Hulme Cross
• Meeting date: 13 December 2006

Will the Mayor explain who is to construct the massive wind turbine in the Olympic park, how much is it likely to cost and who will be paying for it. Could he further clarify how much electricity it will produce, how many homes will be served by it entirely and whether the cost will be justified economically.

• Reference: 2006/3013
• Question by: Damian Hockney
• Meeting date: 13 December 2006

You stated on the Nick Ferrari LBC radio programme on 22nd November that VAT payable on the Olympics is attributable to a 'new law'. As you know, VAT law is controlled by the European Union and the UK may only amend its own laws with regard to this tax by order of the EU. Please can you state which new law this is, when it came into force and how it applies?

• Reference: 2006/3014
• Question by: Peter Hulme Cross
• Meeting date: 13 December 2006

Given your admission that taxpayers are effectively funding the research and development costs of solar panels and wind turbines by subsidising the installations at City Hall and the LDA building, how many years do you expect it to be before photovoltaic cells and wind turbines are economically viable without subsidy?

• Reference: 2006/3015
• Question by: Damian Hockney
• Meeting date: 13 December 2006

I regularly find on my desk at City Hall leaflets, pamphlets and stickers from Recycle for London urging me to recycle. How much does Recycle for London spend annually on producing promotional literature, most of which is immediately recycled into the bin? Would it not be more environmentally friendly to send these messages by email?

• Reference: 2006/3016
• Question by: Damian Hockney
• Meeting date: 13 December 2006

Will the Mayor consider erecting on top of City Hall a solar-powered illuminated sign to keep Londoners informed of the ever-rising budget estimates of the 2012 Olympics?

• Reference: 2006/3017
• Question by: Damian Hockney
• Meeting date: 13 December 2006

Does the Mayor consider it fair that the ODA's delivery partner, CLM, had ten staff (paid for by the ODA) working with the ODA during the bid process while others tendering for the contract did not?

• Reference: 2006/3018
• Question by: Peter Hulme Cross
• Meeting date: 13 December 2006

How many copies of this publication were printed, and what were the printing costs and other costs of production and distribution? Would it not be more cost-effective and environmentally friendly to distribute such glossy publications by electronic means?

• Reference: 2006/3019
• Question by: Damian Hockney
• Meeting date: 13 December 2006

Thank you for your answer to my question 2549 / 2006 in which you clarify the difference between unemployment and worklessness. However, your figures make my point that the London Development Agency uses the misleading worklessness figure in its publications, which you concede includes 863,000 people (57% of the total worklessness figure for London) who neither want nor are seeking work. Would it not be more appropriate for the LDA to quote an accurate figure of people who actually want work?

• Reference: 2006/3020
• Question by: Damian Hockney
• Meeting date: 13 December 2006

Jack Lemley has made clear that it was known in May of the fact that VAT had not been included in the original bid estimate, that security had been massively underestimated and that the ODA was pressured into cutting large sums out of the budget for political and public relations reasons. At what point did the Mayor become aware of these situations?

• Reference: 2006/3021
• Question by: Damian Hockney
• Meeting date: 13 December 2006

In answer to my question 2544 / 2006 you stated that the benefits to London of European Union membership 'are huge and certainly bigger than our contribution to the EU budget' (£5,000 million in 2007-13). Please can you quantify these benefits. In particular, please can you explain how London would be denied access to EU markets if the UK were outside the EU. Switzerland, Norway, the United States and China do not seem to suffer lack of access to EU markets. Also can you give examples of UK membership of the EU contributing towards 'peace and political stability'.