WITH the general election in under a week the Standard asked the six prospective parliamentary candidates how they would deal with the burning issues in the Cotswolds if elected.

Click on the questions below to see their answers.

Conservatives
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, 57, of Daglingworth, is a former farmer and was educated at Eton College and Cirencester's Royal Agricultural College. He graduated as an associate of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and prior to entering Parliament, was an investment surveyor. He has a son who has recently graduated with a degree in business studies and Spanish and a daughter who is currently training to become a solicitor.

Green Party
Kevin Lister, 47, of Nailsworth, has been a maths lecturer at Cirencester College for five years and is married with two children aged 19 and 20. He has lived in Gloucestershire for 21 years and is a qualified engineer. He has been heavily involved in opposing developments such as biofuels, airport expansion and tar sands. He is a member of Airport Watch and Biofuel Watch and is the first candidate to be put forward in the Cotswolds for the Green Party since 1997.

Independent
Alex Steel, 53, of Poulton, says he is an anti-corruption and low-income candidate who will stand for just one term to avoid becoming a 'career MP’. He says he will take just a £9,000 salary for the post, would travel by coach to parliament and would not claim for a housing allowance or living expenses.

Liberal Democrat
Born in Cheltenham, Mike Collins, 46, of Innsworth, was educated at Chosen Hill School, in Churchdown, and later qualified as a craftsman. A keen swimmer, rugby player and cricketer, Mike is also the Gloucestershire County County councillor for Tewkesbury and has three sons. He regularly gets involved with parish fetes, sponsored swims and the Cooper's Hill Cheese Rolling event.

Labour
Born and raised in Gloucestershire, Mark Dempsey, 34, of Swindon, specialises in environmental policy with experience of working in Westminster and Brussels. He started his career as an environmental specialist at the University of Gloucestershire working to improve the environment across the South West. He lives with his partner Amanda and enjoys taking long walks in the Cotswolds. Mark is a big football fan and follows Gloucester City and Cheltenham Town FC.

UKIP
Adrian Blake, 54, is a former firefighter who lives in Chalford. He now works as a fire alarm consultant. He is married to Janet, a company director in Stroud, and has three daughters and three grandchildren. Adrian believes elections are about people, not politicians and that the electorate has to regain their sovereignty and country from EU control.

Questions

Question 1: We are a diverse constituency - how do you balance the needs of those in urban areas with those of rural communities?

Question 2: Are you for or against fox hunting?

Question 3: What do you think about Sir Christopher Kelly’s recommendations on MPs expenses?

Question 4: Is enough being done to support small medium enterprises (SMEs)? What would you like to see?

Question 5: There is an ongoing campaign against plans to annually scrutinise any home educator - Would the money to implement inspections be better spent on local schools?

Question 6: It was recently suggested it is quicker to get a pizza delivered to your home than an ambulance in the Cotswolds - What do you think of the view that Great Western Ambulances (GWAS) matrix gambles with the lives of rural people?