Candidates face the public

The leading candidates for Mayor of London - Steve Norris, Simon Hughes and Ken Livingstone - are to be publicly questioned on vital issues affecting the capital.

Two key meetings, covering business, transport, the economy and health, are to be held in association with the Evening Standard in the run-up to the 10 June poll - and readers are being invited to apply for tickets.

On 20 May, the London Business Mayoral Debate takes place in the City of London. It is organised by the London Business Board - a partnership of the Confederation of British Industry, London First and the London Chamber of Commerce - and will be chaired by ITV presenter Alastair Stewart.

On 25 May, a second hustings meeting will consider health issues. It is organised by the Royal College of Nursing, the London NHS Confederation and the King's Fund and will be held at St Thomas' Hospital.

Crimewatch presenter Nick Ross will chair the event and the panel will also include Green party mayoral candidate Darren Johnson.

A new analysis from the Greater London Authority's economic unit predicts the capital's economy will recover from a two-year downturn and grow by around three per cent in the next three years.

By 2006, it suggests there will be 4.7 million jobs in London and the economy will be worth £172 billion.

Mr Livingstone said: "We are beginning to see consistent signs of recovery and growth, all of which is good news for the city."

But he warned that there was "no room for complacency" and said work had to be done to maintain London's attractiveness as a place to live and work.

"By securing our economic position we are also better placed to tackle London's social and environmental problems that continue to affect too many in our city."

Julia Lalla-Maharajh, of London First, said key issues to be considered at the business hustings included transport, crime, employment and housing and leadership - as the Mayor had a vital role in championing the capital, both nationally and abroad.

She said that crime cost business millions of pounds a year.

"Candidates will be expected by all sizes of business to have effective strategies to reduce elements of crime - from financial fraud and personal safety of employees through to terrorism," she said.

The health debate will consider the huge inequalities that divide the capital, between the affluent west and deprived east.

Anna Coote, health policy director at the King's Fund, said: "The Mayor can use his direct powers, for example over transport, as well as his strategic coordination role to encourage all public services, employers and voluntary sector-agencies to make London a healthier-place to live. This could include reducing pollution, improving the environments in which we work and live, and helping people into work." Though the Mayor has no direct control over the NHS in London, the debate organisers want to see efforts made to improve access to decent housing, employment and transport.

They have drawn up a list of five key demands: