Election Q&A Preston: Nerissa Warner O'Neill (Conservative)

1) Do you think the veil worn by some Muslim women is a 'mark of separation' and hinders community cohesion?

I believe that the wearing of the veil is a personal choice, no different to a Christian wearing a cross or a Sikh wearing a turban.

We should not allow the debate about dress obscure the fundamental issue about whether women have access to education, healthcare and opportunities. Freedom to worship and freedom of speech are fundamental British values which must be protected.

2) What do you think is the best way to help small businesses in the present economic climate?

It is vitally important to support small businesses.

The Conservatives will reduce the burden of red tape on business with a 'one in one out' rule for new regulations, mandatory sunset clauses and regulatory budgets for departments.

We will open up government procurement to small and medium-sized businesses by reducing administrative requirements, with an ambition that 25 per cent of government contracts go to SMEs.

We will make small business rate relief automatic to reduce admin costs and encourage take up.

We will use Government guarantees to create more diverse sources of affordable credit for SMEs, building on our proposals for a big, bold and simple National Loan Guarantee Scheme. Labour are planning to raise employer and employee National Insurance by 1 per cent in 2011, we will cut Labour waste and ensure that 7 out of 10 working people will be better off with the Conservative Party.

3) Why do you think your party is best suited to the needs of British Asians?

Under David Cameron’s leadership the Conservative Party has changed. And we’re proud of the changes we have made – from selecting more minority ethnic candidates to the issues we have campaigned and focussed on. We can now look the British Asian community in the eye and say: this country, our country, this tolerant, compassionate, brilliant, multi-racial country... we are with you, we are like you, we are for you, and we are ready to serve you.

This modern Conservative Party made its choice and it’s never going back. Voters face a clear choice: five more years of Gordon Brown’s tired Government making things worse, or the Conservatives with the energy, leadership and values to get the country moving.

4) Would you condemn the actions of Israel if the state was to repeat the bombing of Gaza (January 2009)?

I do not want to see a return of conflict in Gaza and I am saddened by the recent escalation. I would like to see a ceasefire endure and develop into a lasting peace.

That requires both an end to Israeli incursions and the complete cessation of rocket attacks against Israeli Citizens.

I am deeply concerned by the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the suffering of ordinary Palestinians. We have called repeatedly for the crossings into Gaza to be open to humanitarian aid, food and materials for reconstruction to enter on the scale desparately needed and to allow trade to take place.

The people of Gaza, many of whom never supported Hamas, have the right to see a better life.

5) Should people be allowed to follow religious funeral traditions in the UK? (eg Hindu Funeral practices).

There has been a great deal of misunderstanding on this issue. Mr Ghai, who recently brought a legal case arguing for the right to a traditional Hindu cremation, was not seeking an ‘open air’ cremation as many would imagine it, and as they are sometimes practised overseas.

His religious belief would have been satisfied if the cremation process took place within a permanent structure, provided that the cremation was by traditional fire, rather than electricity, and that sunlight could shine directly on his body while it was being cremated.

The Court found that both sides and lower courts had misunderstood the legal position, and that there was in fact no legal obstacle to permitting a crematorium that complied with these wishes. Such facilities are found in a number of other countries.

I believe that it should be for local communities, through their local authorities, to take decisions on the nature and citing of crematoriums.

Given the likely demand for traditional Hindu cremations, I would anticipate that a number of local authorities would want to allow such facilities if there was demand from local communities, which might be appropriately located on the same site as their existing crematorium facilities.