"However there are also many areas I cannot influence so I am pleased that today’s meeting gives me the opportunity to remind central government how it can help and how crucial it is that we work together and rise to the challenges facing the economy in which the capital plays such a major role”. The Mayor was chairing the first meeting of the newly created high-powered group of senior leaders from politics, business and the public sector established by himself and Minister for London Tony McNulty to help guide London’s economy through the downturn and enable ministers to become engaged with the unique issues facing London.

Other issues raised by the Mayor for discussion included:

- Agreeing that Crossrail will start as soon as possible, and maintain support for tube upgrades.

- Opening up Whitehall, NHS and other public procurement to small businesses, through extending use of the highly successful Competefor, the online system, which has been developed by the London Development Agency for Olympics contracts. It allows a wide range of businesses including small businesses to access available contract opportunities and quickly identify suitable public sector opportunities.

- Devolving welfare to work programmes to London so they can be tailored to London’s specific needs and create a single pot for skills so that Jobcentre Plus, the Learning and Skills Council London and the London Development Agency can offer a one-stop shop for people needing help with employment and training.

- Cutting tax on foreign profits to ensure London remains a globally competitive place for multinationals to base their headquarters - a large proportion of FTSE 100 companies are planning to move their headquarters from London because of high levels of tax and unduly aggressive tax authorities.

- Avoid punitive financial regulation, which would threaten London’s position as a global financial centre.

The Mayor will continue lobbying government on a range of issues to support London’s economy including:

- Giving London a fair deal in the comprehensive spending review 2009, so that it can improve its public services and make London more competitive. Currently London pays out many billions of pounds more in taxes each year to the rest of the country than it receives back;

- Giving the Mayor more flexibility on how the money from the Homes and Communities Agency is spent, to enable the Mayor to more effectively help Londoners with their housing needs;

- Increasing support for advice services, such as Citizens Advice Bureaux, to meet rising demand from individuals facing financial trouble;

- Ensuring London gets a fair share of energy efficiency programmes as fuel poverty is rising sharply in London, but London gets less than half its fair share of energy efficiency programmes; and

- Allowing Business Improvement Districts to include property owners, rather than just occupiers. Broadening the base of BIDs would increase the impact they can have on improving London’s business centres.

Tony McNulty and Boris Johnson jointly chair the group whose membership includes: · Merrick Cockell, Chair, London Councils, Harvey McGrath, Chair, London Development Agency, Stuart Fraser, Chair of Policy and Resources Committee, City of London and key business and trade union representatives Other government ministers will attend the group to address concerns on specific issues. The group will also take advice from independent experts on different sectors of London’s economy.