Answers to MQs Jan 19

Met Police in Northern Ireland

Question No: 2019/0346

Andrew Dismore

Reports suggest that 1000 police officers are being trained to go to Northern Ireland in the event of disorder post Brexit. How many of these officers and in what ranks are from the Met?

Met Police in Northern Ireland

The Mayor

Last updated: 22 January, 2019

The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) annually sends approximately 100 officers to a one-day public order course in Northern Ireland. This is in preparation for any mutual aid requirements and is part of the MPS contribution to any national mobilisation.

This year the MPS anticipate sending around 150 officers (126 constables, 18 sergeants and 6 inspectors). The increase in numbers to be trained is a precaution in case of possible Brexit related protest.

At this time there is no requirement for any deployment to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).

F1

Question No: 2019/0347

Andrew Dismore

In July, you said you were interested in the capital hosting F1 and a spokesperson confirmed this position, saying: “The mayor believes it should be possible to organise a race in London and has asked his team to explore options with F1.” What discussions have you had with F1 management about this, and with what outcome?

F1

The Mayor

Last updated: 22 January, 2019

As I have said before, I believe that it should be possible to organise a race in London in the future and that a London Grand Prix could bring huge economic benefits to our city. I have asked my officials to explore what the options might be with F1. These discussions are in an early stage and work needs to be done to assess both the feasibility and benefits of a race in London.

Taser

Question No: 2019/0348

Andrew Dismore

Police officers who carry a Taser are more likely to be attacked than their unarmed colleagues because of the “weapons effect”, according to researchers at Cambridge University’s study of City of London officers armed with Taser who were not only 50 per cent more likely to use force in the line of duty, but they were also twice as likely to be on the receiving end of violence. What does this research suggest for extending the use of Taser and of firearms?

Taser

The Mayor

Last updated: 22 January, 2019

The City of London study was interesting but only considered nine assaults, six of which were on officers who were carrying Taser.  It is difficult to draw any firm conclusions from this small sample size, not least since Taser-equipped officers are more likely to be deployed to violent incidents.

5700 MPS officers are trained to carry Taser. In the twelve months to October 2018, Officers drew Taser from their holsters on around 5000 occasions but only actually fired in around 8% of those cases. The mere presence of a Taser often avoids the need for officers to use further force. Taser deployments and tactics are kept under constant review – it is a proven proportionate and effective means to deal with violent offenders.  The Met will use the City of London study to begin to examine their own data as they do not have a comparative study.

Misuse of drones [1]

Question No: 2019/0349

Andrew Dismore

How prepared are the Metropolitan Police, working with airport management, to deal with the misuse of drones obstructing the operation of airports in London?

Answer for Misuse of drones [1]

The Mayor

Last updated: 22 January, 2019

Officers are drafting a response

misuse of drones [2]

Question No: 2019/0350

Andrew Dismore

Have the Metropolitan Police, working with airport management, in considering how to deal with the misuse of drones obstructing the operation of airports in London looked to the use of birds of prey, as in Holland?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-europe-35750816/eagles-trained-to-take-down-drones

Answer for misuse of drones [2]

The Mayor

Last updated: 22 January, 2019

Officers are drafting a response

Nationals of other EU countries [1]

Question No: 2019/0351

Andrew Dismore

How many members of staff in the GLA are nationals of other EU countries; what estimate have you made of the likely number who will return home in the event of a hard Brexit; and what are you doing to provide assistance and reassurance to them?

Answer for Nationals of other EU countries [1]

The Mayor

Last updated: 22 January, 2019

Officers are drafting a response

Nationals of other EU countries [2]

Question No: 2019/0352

Andrew Dismore

What estimate have you made of the impact of a hard Brexit on the GLA’s ability to recruit staff who are nationals of other EU countries?

Answer for Nationals of other EU countries [2]

The Mayor

Last updated: 22 January, 2019

Officers are drafting a response

Nationals of other EU countries [3]

Question No: 2019/0353

Andrew Dismore

How many members of staff in TfL are nationals of other EU countries; what estimate have you made of the likely number who will return home in the event of a hard Brexit; and what are you doing to provide assistance and reassurance to them?

Answer for Nationals of other EU countries [3]

The Mayor

Last updated: 22 January, 2019

Officers are drafting a response

Nationals of other EU countries [4]

Question No: 2019/0354

Andrew Dismore

What estimate have you made of the impact of a hard Brexit on TfL’s ability to recruit staff who are nationals of other EU countries?

Answer for Nationals of other EU countries [4]

The Mayor

Last updated: 22 January, 2019

Officers are drafting a response

Nationals of other EU countries [5]

Question No: 2019/0355

Andrew Dismore

How many a) officers and b) members of staff in the Metropolitan Police are nationals of other EU countries; what estimate have you made of the likely number who will return home in the event of a hard Brexit; and what are you doing to provide assistance and reassurance to them?

Nationals of other EU countries [5]

The Mayor

Last updated: 22 January, 2019

There are approximately 800 officers and 230 staff who are nationals of other EU countries.

The decision for each officer and staff affected by Brexit to remain in the UK will be personal and unique and is very hard to quantify or predict. This is just one of the many challenges that Brexit will bring to policing.

I have already called on the Government to scrap the ‘settled status’ application fee for EU citizens living in Britain after Brexit. I have also committed that City Hall and the GLA Group, including the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), will pay the fees for their EU employees if the Government doesn’t act.

Furthermore, I have launched an online ‘EU Londoners Hub’ to help London’s European citizens access the information they need to stay in the UK after Brexit.

I will continue to do what I can to support EU nationals in policing and across London.

Nationals of other EU countries [6]

Question No: 2019/0356

Andrew Dismore

What estimate have you made of the impact of a hard Brexit on the Metropolitan Police‘s ability to recruit a) officers and b) members of staff in who are nationals of other EU countries?

Answer for Nationals of other EU countries [6]

The Mayor

Last updated: 22 January, 2019

Officers are drafting a response

Nationals of other EU countries [7]

Question No: 2019/0357

Andrew Dismore

How many a) operational firefighters and b) members of staff in the London Fire Brigade are nationals of other EU countries; what estimate have you made of the likely number who will return home in the event of a hard Brexit; and what are you doing to provide assistance and reassurance to them?

Nationals of other EU countries [7]

The Mayor

Last updated: 22 January, 2019

At present London Fire Brigade (LFB) staff data sets do not record nationality or allow LFB to distinguish between UK, EU (excluding UK), and other nationals. This information could only be determined by checking individual staff files. LFB has undertaken an exercise in reviewing current staff based on the information available and believes there are a small number of staff of 100 or less who are likely to be nationals of other EU countries and will be required to apply for pre-settled or settled status. LFB is now explaining to those members of staff the process they will be required to go through in attaining settled status which, as I announced in December, will include paying for the application process if the Government does not scrap the settled status application fee for EU citizens living in Britain after Brexit.

Nationals of other EU countries [8]

Question No: 2019/0358

Andrew Dismore

What estimate have you made of the impact of a hard Brexit on the London Fire Brigade’s ability to recruit a) operational firefighters and b) members of staff in who are nationals of other EU countries?

Nationals of other EU countries [8]

The Mayor

Last updated: 22 January, 2019

The full details of changes to immigration rules in relation to a range of Brexit scenarios are not yet known but the London Fire Brigade will continue to monitor this. No formal estimates of the impact on recruitment has been made as this is not possible to undertake accurately at this stage. LFB appoints a relatively low number of recruits who are from other EU countries, and so does not believe there to be a material risk to recruitment or the establishment overall. LFB will continue to provide support and advice to existing staff who are nationals of other EU countries to ensure they have as much information as possible.

Draft police budget

Question No: 2019/0359

Andrew Dismore

Your draft budget indicates an extra £95 million for the police next year – how will this be funded; and what will this mean for officer numbers?

Draft police budget

The Mayor

Last updated: 22 January, 2019

After months of warm words from the Home Secretary, the government failed to back that up with action with real money in the police funding settlement. Instead, Ministers shunted the cost of policing onto London council taxpayers, hitting the poorest hardest. The Government has already forced the Met to make £850m of cuts since 2013-14 and despite last week’s police funding settlement, there remains a huge funding gap.

Faced with little choice in order to give the Met the resources it requires, I am proposing to increase the share of council tax that goes directly to the police by the maximum amount that does not require a referendum. This is the equivalent of 46p a week – an 11 per cent increase in the policing precept.

This provides for a net additional funding of £84.8 million in 2019-20 will be invested in additional officers, staff and the crime fighting tools they need. Three hundred additional officers will be recruited, and I expect MPS officer numbers to be at 31,000 by late 2019-20. Furthermore, staff will be recruited to fill investigative and other roles, freeing up officers for front line duties. Finally, there will be a step change in the tools and techniques available front-line officers to investigate crime, including fingerprinting, rapid drug testing, cutting edge capabilities to deal with digital investigations, and advanced techniques to combat child sexual exploitation online.

My draft budget also proposes further new funding of £6.8 million in 2019-20 to tackle violence in London through the work of the Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) and a further £3.5 million will be allocated for victims’ services and crime prevention activity by MOPAC. Together this amounts to £10.3 million additional funding to support ‘on the ground’ programme delivery in 2019-20 and is funded from £2.3 million in business rates and £8.0 million from the forecast 2018-19 council tax collection fund surplus.

Metropolitan Police harassment grievances

Question No: 2019/0360

Andrew Dismore

How many harassment grievances has the Metropolitan Police received against officers in each of the last 3 years; and how many of those grievances were found to be well founded?

Answer for Metropolitan Police harassment grievances

The Mayor

Last updated: 22 January, 2019

Officers are drafting a response

Camden and Islington BCU borough commander

Question No: 2019/0361

Andrew Dismore

Camden and Islington BCU are getting their fourth borough commander in just 12 months; is the intention to provide continuity in these posts and if so is such turnover desirable?

Answer for Camden and Islington BCU borough commander

The Mayor

Last updated: 22 January, 2019

Officers are drafting a response

ULEZ

Question No: 2019/0362

Andrew Dismore

Your leaflet on the ULEZ suggests that residents living inside the zone will be able to have a discount or exemption. Is this limited only to the current boundaries, or will similar discounts and exemptions apply to residents inside the expanded zone from 2021, bordered by the North and South Circulars?

Answer for ULEZ

The Mayor

Last updated: 22 January, 2019

Officers are drafting a response

Flammable cladding on office blocks

Question No: 2019/0363

Andrew Dismore

The Government’s ban on some forms of flammable cladding on some residential buildings is welcome. But the TUC has pointed out there is no protection for offices, stadiums, music venues and other commercial premises. Will you a) support the TUC’s call for flammable cladding to be banned on commercial tall buildings as well as residential in London, and b) ensure that GLA family organisations share TUC guidance on fire safety with relevant union representatives?

Flammable cladding on office blocks

The Mayor

Last updated: 22 January, 2019

Yes, I agree that the ban should apply to commercial buildings. In my response to the consultation on banning combustible materials, I called for the ban to apply to all new buildings regardless of height or use.

I am aware however that commercial buildings often have arrangements to facilitate evacuations in the event of a fire. That is one of the reasons why it is appropriate to prioritise residential buildings where dangerous cladding on existing buildings is being remediated.

Thank you for raising the important issue of fire safety in the workplace.  The London Fire Brigade has a range of information and resources available on their website: https://www.london-fire.gov.uk/safety/the-workplace/. I will ensure a link is circulated to relevant union representatives.

LFB recruitment targets

Question No: 2019/0364

Andrew Dismore

The Fire, Resilience and Emergency Planning committee heard from the London Fire Commissioner that London Fire Brigade is on target to be at full strength in 2019. Is this prediction still accurate?

LFB recruitment targets

The Mayor

Last updated: 22 January, 2019

London Fire Brigade’s workforce modelling demonstrates that they are on target to achieve a full establishment of staff in 2019.

LFB’s Grenfell taskforce

Question No: 2019/0365

Andrew Dismore

London Fire Brigade say they have thirty staff working on their response to the Grenfell Tower fire. Please provide a breakdown of the work programme of this unit since its establishment and for the next year.

LFB’s Grenfell taskforce

The Mayor

Last updated: 22 January, 2019

Since its inception, the Grenfell Tower Investigation and Review team has been gathering, recording and reviewing information to understand what happened during the first seven hours of the incident, leading to the production of two factual narrative reports. In addition. it has supported the Brigade’s participation in and disclosure to the Public Inquiry while also supporting the Metropolitan Police Service’s criminal investigation.

In 2019, the team will undertake an analysis of the first seven hours of the incident to identify adverse events and the immediate and underlying causes while continuing to build the timeline and factual narratives beyond the first seven hours. The team will continue to support the Inquiry and police investigations and support the Brigade’s preparations for Phase 2 of the Inquiry which will include the production of corporate statements produced in response to Rule 9 requests.

ACM cladding on GLA land (1)

Question No: 2019/0366

Andrew Dismore

In your position statement to the Grenfell Tower inquiry, you stated that there are three sites where the GLA owns the freehold that currently have occupied residential blocks with aluminium composite panel cladding. There is a further site owned by London Legacy Development Corporation where an unoccupied building has ACM cladding.

Please provide the following information:

 

  1. The address of each site, or as precise location information as can legally be provided

 

  1. The identity of the leaseholders or as precise information about each organisation as can be provided

 

  1. When the sites were leased

Answer for ACM cladding on GLA land (1)

The Mayor

Last updated: 22 January, 2019

Officers are drafting a response

ACM cladding on GLA land (2)

Question No: 2019/0367

Andrew Dismore

Please provide the following information on the three sites owned by the Greater London Authority where aluminium composite panel cladding is present, plus the one London Legacy Development Corporation site currently unoccupied where relevant:

  1. When the ACM cladding was installed
  2. The date on which you became aware that each site had ACM cladding
  3. The date on which residents at each site were made aware of the cladding

Answer for ACM cladding on GLA land (2)

The Mayor

Last updated: 22 January, 2019

Officers are drafting a response

ACM cladding on GLA land (3)

Question No: 2019/0368

Andrew Dismore

Please provide the following information on the three sites owned by the Greater London Authority where aluminium composite panels cladding is present, plus the one London Legacy Development Corporation site currently unoccupied where relevant:

  1. The date on which interim fire safety measures were put in place
  2. The nature of these interim measures
  3. The cost of these interim measures
  4. How the cost has been met

Answer for ACM cladding on GLA land (3)

The Mayor

Last updated: 22 January, 2019

Officers are drafting a response

ACM cladding on GLA land (4)

Question No: 2019/0369

Andrew Dismore

Please provide the following information on the three sites owned by the Greater London Authority where aluminium composite panel cladding is present, plus the one London Legacy Development Corporation site currently unoccupied where relevant:

  1. Records of discussions between the GLA and the leaseholders regarding the replacement of the ACM cladding
  2. Any plans, budgets and timelines for the replacement of the cladding

Answer for ACM cladding on GLA land (4)

The Mayor

Last updated: 22 January, 2019

Officers are drafting a response

ACM cladding on GLA land (5)

Question No: 2019/0370

Andrew Dismore

Please provide the following information on the three sites owned by the Greater London Authority where aluminium composite panel cladding is present, plus the one London Legacy Development Corporation site currently unoccupied where relevant:

  1. The planned occupation date for the unoccupied block on LLDC land
  2. The number of residents living on each site
  3. The total number of housing units on each site
  4. Details of any other premises, for example commercial space

Answer for ACM cladding on GLA land (5)

The Mayor

Last updated: 22 January, 2019

Officers are drafting a response

Stopping abuse of London Fire Brigade staff

Question No: 2019/0371

Andrew Dismore

You supplied data showing that 76 recorded incidents of abuse of firefighters occurred in 2018. That is up from 57 in 2015. Please state what is being done to reduce this count and ensure the perpetrators face consequences. Please also provide detail on what falls into the “other” category of abuse, which made up nearly a third of total incidents.

Stopping abuse of London Fire Brigade staff

The Mayor

Last updated: 22 January, 2019

It is London Fire Brigade policy to report work-related violence to the police so they can investigate and take appropriate action, including giving consideration to offences under the Assault on Emergency Workers (Offences) Act 2018, and will work closely with the police throughout any criminal proceedings.

The “other” category is not broken down into sub-sections but when crews select this category to report violence or abuse towards firefighters they can enter free text to describe the incident. The descriptions of these incidents can broadly be broken down into threats/aggressive behaviour, objects fired or thrown (e.g. fireworks) and obstructing firefighters in the course of their duties.

Resilience and the draft EU withdrawal agreement

Question No: 2019/0372

Andrew Dismore

What assessment have you made of the impact on London’s resilience of exiting the EU on the terms set out in the Government’s draft withdrawal text that was agreed with the EU?

Resilience and the draft EU withdrawal agreement

The Mayor

Last updated: 22 January, 2019

The focus of preparations for the EU Exit has been against the no-deal scenario as this presents the Reasonable Worst Case Scenario to prepare against.  Some of the most significant implications for resilience as a result of the EU Exit arise from the disruption at borders. These would be negated under the withdrawal agreement in so far as they provide additional time for the government to negotiate longer term solutions with the EU.  Therefore, with limited time and resources to plan during this period of uncertainty, the focus has remained upon planning for a no-deal scenario rather than assessing the potential impact of the implications of the withdrawal agreement.

Resilience and outsourcing (1)

Question No: 2019/0373

Andrew Dismore

What work have you and the London Resilience Forum done on the risks to resilience posed by arm’s length companies set up by councils to manage certain services?

Resilience and outsourcing (1)

The Mayor

Last updated: 22 January, 2019

The LRF continues to take part in the national assurance mechanisms that review the collective assurance of the partnership against their ability to support pan London Multi-Agency responses.

It is the responsibility of individual organisations as defined within the Civil Contingencies Act to be able to maintain their statutory and critical services regardless if the provision of the service is outsourced through their business continuity arrangements.

The Local Authorities’ Panel is represented at the Local Resilience Forum.  It has carried out its own assurance process to satisfy itself of the arrangements for some years of the borough’s individual resilience plans and is putting in place a more rigorous assurance process.

Resilience and outsourcing (2)

Question No: 2019/0374

Andrew Dismore

What work have you and the London Resilience Forum done on the risks to resilience arising from outsourced services in the public sector?

Resilience and outsourcing (2)

The Mayor

Last updated: 22 January, 2019

The LRF continues to take part in the national assurance mechanisms that review the collective assurance of the partnership against their ability to support pan London Multi-Agency responses.

It is the responsibility of individual organisations as defined within the Civil Contingencies Act to be able to maintain their statutory and critical services regardless if the provision of the service is outsourced through their own business continuity arrangements.

 

Recladding residential buildings over the winter

Question No: 2019/0375

Andrew Dismore

On 18 November I wrote to Deputy Mayor James Murray asking what was being done to address the following matters on the removal and replacement of flammable cladding:

  1. To ensure that costs are met centrally, not from Housing Revenue Account budgets, for replacement of non-ACM but still flammable cladding
  2. To ascertain the number of residential blocks with non-ACM but still flammable cladding
  3. To provide residents with a subsidy or other settlement to protect them from high winter fuel bills

 

Please provide an update on these matters.

Answer for Recladding residential buildings over the winter

The Mayor

Last updated: 22 January, 2019

Officers are drafting a response

Overseas investment into London’s tech industry

Question No: 2019/0376

Andrew Dismore

What estimates does your office make of investment from organisations and individuals owned outside the UK into London-based firms operating in the tech / digital sector?

Overseas investment into London’s tech industry

The Mayor

Last updated: 22 January, 2019

London leads Europe in the volume of investment into the technology sector. In 2018 London-based technology companies received £1.8 billion of venture capital funding, which is more than Paris and Berlin combined.

Beauhurst’s 2018 ‘Investors from Abroad’ report notes that London saw 953 investments involving overseas investors – with the majority going into Fintech, Artificial Intelligence and Advertising Technology (AdTech). Recent analysis from L&P found international investors were increasingly backing London-based companies working with Big Data, Artificial Intelligence and Blockchain.

Moreover, there were 17 Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) in UK tech in 2018, equal to the number in France, Germany and Italy combined, and valued at £1.3 billion. This shows that London’s ecosystem is nurturing tech companies from start-up stage right through their growth journey.

Preparing the water industry for winter

Question No: 2019/0377

Andrew Dismore

What changes have been made to engagement and planning with the water industry since the spring 2018 freeze / thaw event that saw thousands of Londoners without water?

Preparing the water industry for winter

The Mayor

Last updated: 22 January, 2019

I wrote to the chief executives of London’s worst affected water companies following the freeze/thaw event last year, calling for them to make urgent improvements. I also wrote to Ofwat calling for them to use their full powers to ensure that London’s water companies improve their response in the future. My Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy has raised this issue with London’s water companies and Ofwat at my Water Advisory Group to ensure better preparedness.

Ofwat has since published its ‘Out in the Cold’ report, reviewing water company responses to the event. Ofwat required those companies that underperformed, including Thames Water, to submit action plans setting out how they will improve their response. Thames Water published this action plan in September. Ofwat have said in response – and I agree – that Thames Water must ensure these actions are delivered with urgency, so Londoners are better protected against similar incidents in future.

Incidents since the freeze/thaw have shown some improvements in London. Companies have implemented new systems, communications approaches and procedures, including a new, faster 24/7 response capability, better systems for distributing bottled water and improved understanding of potentially vulnerable customers to increase the number of customers on their Priority Services Register. Ofwat has set out recommendations for a standardised compensation scheme which, if approved by Government, will be more generous and easier to apply for and which I had championed in London given four water companies operate here.

However, I will continue to monitor water company performance and whether improvements are sustained. The events of last winter were unacceptable and water companies must ensure they are not repeated.

Local authority funding sustainability

Question No: 2019/0378

Andrew Dismore

Are you concerned that any London local authorities will be left unable to set a balanced budget as a result of the forthcoming £1.3 billion reduction the Government has chosen to make to the Revenue Support Grant?

Answer for Local authority funding sustainability

The Mayor

Last updated: 22 January, 2019

Officers are drafting a response

LFB rank structure

Question No: 2019/0379

Andrew Dismore

What progress is being made with the new LFB crew, watch and station rank structure?

LFB rank structure

The Mayor

Last updated: 22 January, 2019

A project board of key stakeholders including the Fire Brigades’ Union has been set up to deliver this. The detailed implementation plan is subject to formal approval through the London Fire Commissioner governance process in March. Updates on the project will then form part of the quarterly performance reports to the London Assembly’s Fire Resilience and Emergency Planning Committee. The current expected implementation date is towards the end of 2019.

fire safety non-compliance in social housing

Question No: 2019/0380

Andrew Dismore

How many local authority homes and blocks of flats have been assessed as non-compliant with fire regulations in the last three years? Please break down the numbers by borough and by the reason for non-compliance.

fire safety non-compliance in social housing

The Mayor

Last updated: 22 January, 2019

The information requested is not readily available. Work is underway to see how this information might be provided in the future.

 

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