Stephen Hart lives with his wife and their two children in Colwall. He works as a solicitor specialising in the field of pensions.

A. Our farmers' problems go wider than foot-and-mouth. They affect arable, poultry and fruit farmers as well as those with livestock, and have been with us many years.

Recovery from foot-and-mouth must involve compensation to those directly involved, advice on sustainable restocking, and support for diversification.

As last year's Rural White Paper insisted, small slaughterhouses must be saved - the outbreak has shown how important this is.

We must learn from the experience how to cut down on the bureaucracy within MAFF, and indeed incorporate its remit in a wider Department of Rural Affairs.

Like all business people, good farmers know they must supply what customers want.

That involves reacting to market changes, which deserves Government support, and must continue to get it.

In an area like ours, we can encourage local markets, so customers get fresh food produced close to home - good for the economy, the environment and our health.

B. Invest in rural police services. Keep extra funds going in, to ensure the police get to the scene in acceptable time limits.

Get additional police officers - 152 extra recruits are being funded in West Mercia.

If necessary, advertise for more, despite critics who disparage such marketing.

Realistically, each village will never have its resident policeman again - but we can expect for each area an officer, maybe in the nearest town, who knows the patch intimately, whom the public recognise and contact.

Rural areas are targeted from elsewhere.

I have spoken to Tenbury people about their bank's cash machine raid - which we all suspect was organised by outsiders.

So, in the country as in the town:

Get every active offender's DNA on a database.

Supervise ex-prisoners properly after release, with individual plans for return to lawful life.

Additional sentences for offenders who break the conditions of non-custodial sentences.

Very importantly, tackle the causes of crime:

Keep young people occupied in employment or training.

Fight the trade in hard drugs.

Keep on raising education standards.

C. I find both sides' views in the fox hunting argument weak.

Supporters claim the issue is one of country versus town but, having lived in the country a long time, I know many opponents of hunting here, and several townsfolk who support it.

Fox numbers need to be restrained, but I cannot find hunting a practical method, particularly for the chicken farmer suffering attacks on his poultry and requiring immediate protection for them.

On the other hand, opposition sometimes seems based on the idea that an activity should be banned simply because one dislikes it, or that it is objectionable that those who carry out the task of keeping foxes down, should enjoy the activity.

I get no impression the public sees hunting as a major issue.

While a minority hold strong opinions for or against, it is not a subject most people consider significant.