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Greater London Authority Bill

I more or less agree with the noble Baroness, Lady Hanham. However, if one adds the boroughs to the consultation, it raises the question of whom else one might add to the consultation. I should just say that I am chief executive of London First, which is a business organisation. I believe that the London business community would be another obvious stakeholder to consult. I wonder why the provision includes the ““functional bodies””, as it would seem a little odd if the Mayor did not have regard to his own functional bodies when developing strategies. I wholly endorse the view that he should have regard to the Assembly, as critiquing the strategies is core to its role. I also support the important point about transparency over why certain points in the consultation have or have not been taken on board, which is referred to in a later amendment. That is a more important provision than the one that we are currently considering.