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

Mr Higgins, you just mentioned the site. You said it was 'highly contaminated'. Those were your words. Now, in marked contrast to your brochure of photographs here, I have got some photographs which actually show the contractors at work. They are digging up, if that is the right phrase, a whole lot of dust which is blowing over the surrounding countryside and the surrounding residential areas. If that site is highly contaminated, don't you think that enormous efforts should be made to damp down the dust and make sure that the dust does not go onto surrounding areas?

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

Are you aware that there is a suspicion that there might be radioactive waste on the site? There were two instances I have come across. One was dumped in 1959 and another was dumped in 1953 and in both instances they say that the waste was possibly radioactive.

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

I attended the meeting in Hackney Wick about a couple of weeks ago when people were actually complaining about the dust that was flying around, particularly over the Clays Lane Estate and in that general area. People actually said, 'Having inhaled this dust I felt a real sore throat and burning eyes and burning lips,' and people were coming up to me after the meeting saying, 'Can you do anything about this?' I felt that there was a real concern. Now I know that there has been quite a lot of contamination on that site. I have documents here which...

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

Alright, and your contractors, those people who are actually working on the site, driving these vehicles and what have you, are they properly protected, using properly protective clothing and all the rest?

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

Alright, are you aware that the River Lee has been tested for radioactivity and in fact I have a Capita Symonds document here which says, `That the levels were slightly higher than expected, not high enough to cause great concern,' and identifies, `Elevated levels of radioactivity above levels considered to be natural background level for the area'.

• Question by: Damian Hockney
• Meeting date: 14 March 2007

So you have worked this out then. Why can't we have the figures? I just feel we need to know how much these services will cost and what they are. We are getting US$16 million.250,000 people, on the basis of the Mayor's statement this morning, will get travel concessions worth £280. Of course not all are going to take them up, but even if 80% take them up, that will take up the whole of that US$32 million.

• Question by: Damian Hockney
• Meeting date: 14 March 2007

How much? Very small? What does very small mean? Are you saying less than £1 million, between £1 million and £5 million, up to the value of the money we are getting? How much?

• Question by: Damian Hockney
• Meeting date: 14 March 2007

But if we cannot look into the details, nothing is true.

• Question by: Damian Hockney
• Meeting date: 14 March 2007

That is the problem is it not, John?

• Question by: Damian Hockney
• Meeting date: 14 March 2007

Finally, Chair, if you would indulge me, could you just provide us at some point with a list of the companies and jobs which have actually come as a result of our offices in China?