VOTE 2015: South Dorset Conservative parliamentary candidate Richard Drax: "A huge amount has been done over the past five years for rural economies, probably more than ever before. But there is always more to do to help small businesses."

We will be asking all the candidates in South and West Dorset about the issues that matter to voters in the county and trying to give the electorate an insight into their priorities before they go to the ballot box on Thursday, May 7.

Today we hear from South Dorset Conservative parliamentary candidate Richard Drax.

 1. How do you propose to make the voice of Dorset people heard in Parliament?

RD: I've learnt a lot in the last five years, and the ways of doing things in Westminster you learn over time. The most business I have got done was by talking to ministers. I raised a lot of issues and sometimes arranged meetings between the ministers and local people so there could be a discussion.

There is an awful lot of work done behind the scenes, and everything raised needs to be constructive. There are ways you have to make your point in the chamber and I've done so on many occasions.

2. Is enough being done at a national government level to support rural economies like Dorset?

RD: A huge amount has been done over the past five years for rural economies, probably more than ever before. The roll-out of superfast broadband is a great example of that.

The farming community has been given a far bigger say than ever before and a lot of help. Rural small businesses have also been given help by the Chancellor, such as tax incentives, but there is always more to do to help small businesses.

3. How will you protect frontline services such as the NHS and policing in the county?

RD: The NHS has been weaponised, and that’s very sad. The only thing that counts is the patient.

We are there to try and listen to the NHS and to provide funding where it’s needed. The Prime Minister has already said a Conservative government will provide the £8 billion over the lifetime of the parliament to meet its financial needs.

At the same time there are still ways in which we can save money within the NHS, which is a vast bureaucracy, without cutting frontline services.

The Conservative government has committed to spending money and has spent a lot of money on the NHS. It will remain free at the point of delivery and people shouldn’t worry the NHS is going to be privatised, it just isn’t going to happen.

With police, I've said on several occasions I’m concerned about savings being made and I know that from speaking to senior officers, there are concerns about any future savings.

I understand their concerns and I will continue to campaign on their behalf to ensure there are enough police officers to continue to do the wonderful job they do in South Dorset.

4. Recent years have seen cuts to many services in Dorset, would you expect to see more cuts or less during the next Parliaments if your party is successful in the elections?

RD: I use the word savings rather than cuts.

For decades, this country lived far beyond its needs, and we inherited a huge financial problem that is still with us. This can’t continue for our children and our children’s children and that is why we are having to look at savings.

Savings are being made imaginatively and in many cases they are working, but what we have to ensure is when savings are made not one group falls through the net.

5. Dorset, like much of the country, has an ageing population. What problems does this pose for Government and what do you propose to do to reflect the changing demographic?

RD: Clearly, we are all getting older and living longer. We have saved £500billion by raising the pension age and had we not done that, it would have been unaffordable.

Clearly, whatever funding formulas are decided they must take this into account, or the services and vital services will be swamped. The NHS and other social services will have to be looked at because the demands placed on these will continue to rise. If elected, I will ensure funding helps meet the demand because if there is a significant elderly population in Dorset, there has to be funding found.

6. What would you do to improve the life chances of career opportunities of young people in Dorset?

RD: In the past five years, I started the apprenticeship fair at Weymouth College in conjunction with the college and the Weymouth and Portland Chamber of Commerce, which has educated both the younger population and local businesses.

You cannot stop improving education, that's not a shot at the teachers, but we have got to think more intelligently about how we educate young people so they are better prepared to meet life’s challenges. There are far too many people across the country who are leaving school unable to read, write and do maths.

Education should be simple. If people leave school being able to read, write, add up and use a computer then they have got a chance in life. Of course, those who are academic flyers must be given the opportunity to fly.

7. When you have been out on the doorstep talking to voters, what has been the main issue raised by the electorate?

RD: I would say immigration. The European Union (EU) has also been brought up, because those two are inter-linked, and the economy along with jobs.

In my view, we cannot solve the mass uncontrolled immigration because the EU will not allow us to, because one of the main principles of the EU is the free movement of people. Until we solve that issue we cannot resolve the issue of uncontrolled immigration.

I've got nothing against immigration but it has to be controlled.

The people coming in must be able to contribute to society, so long as they are suitably qualified and are going to give back to our country.

8. If you felt strongly about a local issue, would you be prepared to vote against your party line?

RD: Over the past five years, I have voted against the party line on several issues. I think I might be regarded as a rebel by my own party, but I cannot rebel on every issue, otherwise the party system would fall apart and it's not that I want to either.

I believe when I vote on something I really feel I should fight for on behalf of my constituents then I will, despite what my party says and I have proved that over the past five years

QUESTIONS FROM READERS

1. What are your plans for the Disability Living Allowance (DLA)? Denise Whittle.

RD: Governments plans to turn the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) into a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) are well underway with changes in Dorset appearing from June 2015 onwards.

While we have been forced to make welfare cuts in order to help clear the deficit, we are committed to protecting the most vulnerable and the disabled. PIP payments will help with extra costs caused by long term ill health or disability and they’ll be reassessed regularly to make sure the right support is provided.

2. If you had to make choice between what’s right for our country’s economy, the defence, the NHS, education, or the unemployment rate, what would you prioritise first and why? Nick Mason.

RD: The economy, because without a healthy economy we would not have the necessary funds to meet the other priorities. For unemployment to fall, we need not only to invest in education and training, but we need to create the right conditions for companies and businesses to flourish, which means lower taxes and less bureaucracy.

3. What will your party do to ensure young people are engaged in politics? Sarah Trott, aged 13.

RD: Because so many young people feel detached from politics, I would try to show them what relevance politics has to their lives and why it matters, possibly by engaging them in school and student politics, where decisions they make can have real effects on their education and environment.

I would also encourage work experience with local and national politicians and ideas like the student parliament.