Written Answers to Questions Not Answered at Mayor's Question Time on 14 September 2017
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Written Answers to Questions Not Answered at Mayor's Question Time on 14 September 2017 Bridges to Fish Island in Hackney Wick Question No: 2017/3583 Caroline Russell What is your view on the extent of opposition to the demolition at Vittoria Wharf and proposed road and pedestrian bridges linking the Olympic Park and Fish Island in Hackney Wick? Oral response Brexit Question No: 2017/3753 Fiona Twycross Is the Government listening to London's concerns about Brexit? Oral response TfL Ombudsman Question No: 2017/3467 David Kurten Given the sweeping powers and far-reaching consequences of the decisions taken by Transport for London, would the Mayor not agree with me that, in the interests of the people of London, an Ombudsman with sole responsibility for TfL should be put in place to ensure the highest standards of integrity and accountability? Oral response Housing record Question No: 2017/3761 Andrew Boff Are you proud of your housing record in your first year in office? Oral question receiving a written response The Mayor Written response to the Mayor I'm proud of the work I've done on housing over my first year as Mayor. But I'm also honest with Londoners that it will take some time for the consequences of previous housing actions to be rectified. My draft Housing Strategy provides a clear plan of how I will make progress in tackling the housing crisis, working with national and local government, homebuilders, housing associations, investors, charities, and Londoners themselves. I'm proud of the ambitious vision it sets out and confident that, in combination with the draft London Plan that is being worked on, and my other statutory strategies, it will start to make a difference to Londoners suffering from the housing crisis. The vision it sets out for the future will build on the new direction we've begun to take, and what we've achieved already, during my first year as Mayor. Transparency and Policing in London Question No: 2017/3830 Caroline Pidgeon How are you consulting Londoners about your plans to close police front counters and change local policing in the capital? Oral response London's Security after Brexit Question No: 2017/3708 Len Duvall Are you concerned about the impact of Brexit on London's security, for example in regard to the MPS being able to access the critical data it needs to protect London from terrorist threats as links with the EU are loosened? Oral response TfL Pensions and Pay Question No: 2017/3768 Gareth Bacon Are you content that TfL's pay and pension arrangements are at the appropriate levels? Oral question receiving a written response The Mayor I've always been clear that I think TfL is good, but flabby. There are big cost reductions necessary to deliver the modern, efficient and affordable transport system Londoners need. I won't tolerate waste and inefficiency and the TfL Commissioner, Mike Brown, is undertaking a fundamental overhaul of the organisation, reducing day-to-day operating costs for the first time in its history. Since taking office I have focused on the affordability of senior manager and executive pay within TfL. I have changed this so now I personally approve any proposed appointment with a base salary of £100,000 or higher. This has helped reduce the number of senior managers with a base salary of more than £100,000 by 19 per cent in 2016/17. I have also introduced a pay freeze for all TfL Directors for four years from 2016. The TfL Remuneration Committee made up of Board Members has direct accountability for decisions over the pay and performance award arrangements for the Commissioner and Managing Directors. I am reviewing the Committee's Terms of Reference to see if we should broaden its scope further. TfL is an incredibly diverse and immensely complex organisation currently transforming itself to meet the demands of a rapidly changing economic environment in order to meet its new funding arrangements. It is under no illusion that its pay arrangements must be made increasingly affordable and my commitment and drive to ensure this is unrelenting. Brexit and London's Higher Education Sector Question No: 2017/3711 Joanne McCartney Given the Government's claims that there has been mass overstaying by foreign students have now been proved to be false by recent ONS figures, will you further renew your calls for HE students to be taken out of any immigration targets? What other steps does the government need to take to protect London's HE institutions during the chaotic Brexit negotiations and post Brexit? Oral response Mayor's Transport Strategy Question No: 2017/3769 Keith Prince How closely does the Mayor's Transport Strategy match the promises in your transport manifesto? Oral response Rough Sleeping Question No: 2017/3665 Tom Copley After rough sleeping increased under your predecessor, what assessments will you put in place to ensure any measures taken to reduce rough sleeping are achieving success? Oral response Metropolitan Line Extension Question No: 2017/3796 Shaun Bailey Is the delivery of the Metropolitan Line Extension an opportunity to convince the Secretary of State for Transport that you can be trusted with more rail devolution? Oral response A Post Garden Bridge London Question No: 2017/3664 Len Duvall Now that the garden bridge has finally been put out its misery, what infrastructure projects will you be funding that will enable more sustainable transport in the capital? Oral response Holiday hunger Question No: 2017/3754 Fiona Twycross What is your estimate of the number of children that went hungry in London during the recent school holidays? Oral response Police funding Question No: 2017/3703 Andrew Dismore What has been the Government response to your request for additional funding for the Met.? Oral response Planning Committee report into offsite manufacturing and the Mayor's Housing Strategy Question No: 2017/3710 Nicky Gavron What role do you see for offsite manufactured (OSM) homes contributing to the objectives identified in the Housing Strategy and wider strategic objectives? Oral response Protecting Londoners' human rights Question No: 2017/3584 Sian Berry With increases in the number of Metropolitan Police officers armed with firearms and tasers, and the use of intrusive tactics such as spit hoods and stop and search, what steps are you taking to ensure the human rights of all Londoners are respected? Oral response Increased demand on MPS related to mental health Question No: 2017/3719 Onkar Sahota The Metropolitan Police Service received a phone call related to mental health every five minutes last year. This represents an increase of almost one third compared to 2011-12. (https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/aug/28/police-phone-calls-mental-health-nhs) What do you think has caused the rise in demand and how is the Met coping with the increase? Oral response Energy for Londoners - options appraisal report Question No: 2017/3585 Caroline Russell In answer to my question 2017/2190 you said "I will set out my plans for Energy for Londoners in the draft London Environment Strategy and will publish the options appraisal with the Strategy as part of the evidence base". Why didn't you release this when you published your draft Environment Strategy in August 2017? Oral question receiving a written response The Mayor As you be aware, I have now published the options appraisal and this can be found on the Greater London Authority website at: https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/energy_for_londoners_feasibility_study.pdf. Digital policing Question No: 2017/3675 Unmesh Desai A report released in August on digital policing by the think tank 'Reform' outlines how demand on policing has changed as crimes such as robbery and criminal damage have fallen over the past two decades whilst crimes with a digital element such as fraud and internet enabled child abuse have risen. Do the Metropolitan Police Service have the resources and skills to deal with the changing nature of crime? Oral response Ion Pacific Question No: 2017/3468 Peter Whittle To ask the Mayor if he will join with me on congratulating the City of London on the recent news that the Asian merchant bank Ion Pacific has chosen to establish its new European headquarters in London - despite Brexit. (http://www.cityam.com/269593/asian-merchant- bank-ion-pacific-expands-into-european) Oral response London's Skyline Question No: 2017/3736 Navin Shah Will your London Plan herald a new approach to tall buildings and ensure genuine public consultation? Oral response Government's new childcare scheme Question No: 2017/3755 Fiona Twycross What is the impact of the Government's new childcare scheme in London? Oral response Airline checking facilities at Farringdon station Question No: 2017/3425 Caroline Pidgeon Given Farringdon will soon provide direct access to three airports, will you give consideration along the lines of Hong Kong - where passengers are able to check in luggage for flights at the station so removing the need of passengers to transport luggage to airports. The Mayor Remote baggage check-in for airport customers would require available space, high levels of security and operational support. The cost of providing this service would need to be weighed up by the airports/airlines to understand if it would be a viable commercial proposition for them. It would also need approval from security regulators. Remote baggage check-in was launched at Paddington in 1999 for some Heathrow customers and a similar service was set up at Victoria around the same time for British Airways' Gatwick customers. However, both facilities closed within a few years (Victoria in 2002 and Paddington in 2003), due to a combination of lack of passenger demand and a review following the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001.