WITH the election in full swing, the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), has prepared "ten key questions" for candidates.

1) How do you propose to provide the infrastructure to enable people who work in rural areas to compete on equal terms with their urban counterparts? The question embraces public transport and the next generation of e-communications technology.

2) How will you ensure that the planning system positively encourages business development.?

3) How do you rate farming as a future contributor to the British economy?

4) How will you ensure that smaller rural producers have the chance to develop and grow their businesses when it seems that large-scale businesses are targeted?

5) How will you ensure, after the foot and mouth debacle, that our grazed landscape is maintained for future generations?

6) How will you support local schemes for affordable housing?

7) How will you ensure a fair share of central Government grant to support local services including education, health and social services?

8) How will you improve police response times and improve the security of market towns and villages?

9) Because of the potential variation between the pound and the euro, how will you ensure UK farmers get the same level of support as their French and German competitors?

10) Foot and mouth disease appears to have come from imported meat. How will you ensure this cannot happen again?

Updated: 09:22 Thursday, May 24, 2001