Live debate - the questions and answers

Jackie Alderson: This country has a huge debt. We need to use public money much more efficiently and effectively. We need value for money and to put people first. There is too much bureaucracy and that cannot be right. We need to be stimulating the private sector. Small businesses are struggling and banks are not lending the way they should be.

Mike Foster: The best approach is to try and galvanise economic growth as quickly as we can. If we get more people into work paying taxes and not drawing on benefits, that will help everyone. We need to use public money as efficiently and effectively as possible. Making cuts now is a big risk. We need to raise taxes – we have chosen national insurance, but raising income tax or VAT will have severe implications.

Robin Walker: Our debt is enormous and we have to turn this situation around fast. We have to support essential public services and we have agreed to ring fence NHS funding. Other areas, like businesses and individuals, have to do more with less. The public sector will have to take a pay freeze. If waste is there, cut it straight away. The national insurance hike will drive people out of work.

Dormston Cook

With the population due to expand to 70 million people in this country, what are you going to do about immigration? People are feeling this is no longer an issue that can be ignored.

Jackie Alderson: We are not advocating a complete amnesty but if someone has been here for a particularly long time, speaks English and pays taxes then that is fine, but there is a two-year probationary period as well. The problem is there has seemingly been no immigration control. We want to count people in and out which is important and something that has been seriously missing.

Mike Foster: People have been let down on this issue by the three main parties. We are supporting an Australian points- based system, reviewable over time. Labour’s projected figures on immigration to the UK before the EU expanded were, in hindsight, wrong but our economy was growing so rapidly we did not have the skills to meet demand. Lots of immigrants worked hard and paid taxes but that did mean some UK workers suffered as a result.

Robin Walker: Immigrants have contributed a huge amount to our economy and country but we do want to put a cap on it, albeit a flexible one. We need to make sure we’re attracting the right kind of people. We want much tighter controls. We want to clear up illegal immigration. We don’t agree with the Liberal Democrat policy of a complete amnesty. We want to make sure everyone coming here learns English.

Esther Rodgers

A lot of people are talking about the general election leading to a hung parliament. Which of the other parties do you see your policies being closest to and how much would you be prepared to cooperate and compromise with them should this happen?

Jackie Alderson: We are talking about a balanced Parliament and it works well in Scotland and Wales but I do not think it will happen. We need to move on. We need more consensus on politics in this country. We agree on a number of policies from the Labour, Conservative and Green parties. Independents and minority parties stand to benefit from a hung Parliament, not just the Liberal Democrats.

Mike Foster: Labour has more in common with the Liberal Democrats than the Conservatives but if that was to work there would have to be a shared platform to take this country forward, not just over a few months but a number of years. A balanced Parliament would need to be long-lasting otherwise I fear the worst if we were to have two elections in one year. I support an alternative vote system.

Robin Walker: We share views with a number of different parties but are against an increase in national insurance. A hung Parliament could be very dangerous for this country. I would rather have a decisive result, although I’m not sure I’d agree a Labour win would be better than a hung Parliament. We need to reform the expenses system.

Brian Hunt

As a pensioner, I see that New Labour have taken away the on-site wardens from sheltered housing. The Tories have taken away the hot meals subsidies from pensioners in sheltered housing.

The Liberal Democrats are determined to drag us further into Europe. Who should I vote for?

Jackie Alderson: The Conservative county council administration have had to deal with their resources, in real terms, going down and more dramatic cuts are on the way. Unless local people stand up for the services they want to save they could be cut quietly. As for Europe, yes the Liberal Democrats are pro-Europe. We have supported cross party consensus on residential care.

Mike Foster: The county council received a 4.5 per cent increase in Government grant this year and a four per cent increase in the last three years. The decision to cut hot meals was done locally by councillors, it was not made by cuts to grants the council has received. Many pensioners do not have the £8,000 with which to then receive care at home. It is disappointing there has not been cross-party consensus on this issue.

Robin Walker: There has been real term cuts to county council funding. We want to reinstate the link between pensions and earnings. We are looking at social care in old age – pensioners can pay £8,000 and in return will receive free residential care and be able to bequeath their home to their families. While my party does not want to pull out of the EU – the economy would suffer – we can fight for what we originally signed up for.

Jane Waller

Since the introduction of the national curriculum in 1986 and particularly since Labour came to power in 1997, teachers have been gradually de-professionalised and our education system undermined by constant Government interference. Will any of the leading parties trust teachers to actually teach and exercise their professional judgement in managing our schools and classrooms?

Jackie Alderson: There is too much tick boxing going on. We want to take away the Government nanny approach. I think there has been a lot of money spent in schools under Labour but there is more bureaucracy which is totally unnecessary. There has been mismanagement. As a businesswoman I know the skills you expect from school leavers are not there. Children need to be better equipped to deal with modern life.

Mike Foster: Since 1997 basic test scores have risen dramatically, especially here in Worcester and in the schools in the city’s most deprived areas. There is an argument that the curriculum is too focused on just achieving test scores but we have reduced testing at key stage three. I think we should keep tests at key stage two. I do not agree we are just teaching children to pass tests but they are used by others to gauge performance.

Robin Walker: There has certainly been an improvement in test results but I am not sure there has been an improvement in numeracy and literacy. We need a much more flexible approach to teaching with far less bureaucracy and paperwork. One of our proposals is to allow community groups, charities or businesses to take over a school if they have a credible plan. It is successul in Sweden and I do not agree with hostile takeovers of failing schools like Labour do.

David Tibbutt

On the assumption that all politicians go to Heaven, what will each of you say to St Peter at the Pearly Gates?

Jackie Alderson: I believe the Liberal Democrat party stands for fairness and equality and we believe we are nice people.

Mike Foster: Whether you agreed or disagreed with me I hope you accept that what I tried to do was in the best interests of the people of Worcester.

Robin Walker: Phew!

• Replay our live coverage of the whole event here.