Greater London Authority Bill

We are all getting old. Perhaps we should have used ““PM””, for previous Mayor. The minimum Assembly budget would reflect that change. If the new Mayor’s budget—I have lost my place thanks to the helpful intervention on the acronyms. If the new Mayor’s budget is less than the older Mayor’s budget then the Assembly budget would be reduced in proportion. If they are the same, the Assembly budget would be the same. Will the Committee consider the position not only on a single year but in the context of the cumulative effect of mayoral cuts or a standstill of the Assembly budget compared with an increased mayoral budget over a period of years? The amendments are not about Assembly profligacy. The Assembly is not profligate. It recently decided not to go for an extra post in the budget, which would have related to scrutinising new mayoral powers, because it is not likely to be needed as soon as was once thought. The amendments are about protecting the scrutiny function. As I have said, that is not the case so far in London.