PARLIAMENTARY candidates were grilled about small business issues at a hustings event.

Members of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) were in Durham to question candidates from five parties about small business services, the pensions black hole, the aid given to Rover, and provision for training and skills in the region.

Panel members included Stephen Allison, the North-East regional organiser of the UK Independence Party (Ukip), Carol Woods, Liberal Democrat candidate for Durham City, Nic Best, Morpeth candidate for the Green Party, Hilary Armstrong, Labour candidate for North West Durham and Jamie Devlin, Conservative candidate for North West Durham.

Henry Mooney, of Darlington Business Venture, asked candidates if they thought the structure of business services for small firms was adequate, at the event at Ramside Hall Hotel, on Friday.

While Ms Armstrong said that business support access points had been reduced from 100 to ten and brought under the control of the regional development agencies, Mr Best said that he was less than impressed with the way One NorthEast (One) had handled the rural investment programme.

"We haven't quite got One up to date with the rural economy's workings," he said.

Colin Stratton, North-East regional chairman of the FSB, asked why, despite the numerous skills task forces, employees still lacked the technical skills employers needed. Mr Allison, who works in the construction industry, said he would prefer employees who could just do the job, rather than have dozens of qualifications.

He also called for health and safety regulations to be eased off to allow small businesses to remain competitive.

One FSB member asked Mr Devlin why small business owners "should take the risk of voting Tory again" after the boom and bust years.

Mr Devlin said: "The economic legacy the Conservatives left behind has simply been sustained by Labour.

"They sustained our economic stability.

"Gordon Brown's forecasts for the future are, at best, very hopeful forecasts."

Mr Best added that there was still a North-South divide which the Government needed to address by ploughing more money into the North-East region than anywhere else.

Small business owners also spoke of the domination of Tesco over small retailers, with specific reference to Durham.

John Wright, North-East FSB policy chairman said: "This was an ideal opportunity for small businesses to question all of the main political parties about business matters that are of concern to them."