Seven key questions for the politicians on your doorstep

When one of your local prospective parliamentary candidates calls in the run-up to 7 June and asks you what issues you might have, you might like to have a few ideas to challenge the smiling face before you.

You can start by asking: "So what's your view on the different needs of the hospitality industry as distinct from the economic activity known as tourism?"

That should soften them up for the following seven specific topical questions - from which you might extract some form of political commitment:

1. How do you think the issues of food safety should be handled for the future?

2. How do you see a future government treating hospitality, tourism, leisure and retailing? Should it be treated equitably to farming?

3. Would you support hospitality, tourism and leisure having its own minister of state?

4. Do you see cookery as vital on the National Curriculum?

5. Will you be voting for two extra bank holidays?

6. What support will you be giving to our industry when the funding of further and higher education is decided?

7. How will you be supporting funding for work place learning in our industry?

Good luck with interrogating your local candidates. It is vital that tourism and hospitality industry issues move significantly higher up the political agenda. We are the country's major growth industry, and we require the level of governmental recognition to match.

David Wood, Chief Executive, HCIMA.