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Question: What are the key issues for the Conservatives at their spring conference this weekend?

Penning: The key issues are the economy and public services. We all know there are problems with the economy and how it is being run, frankly we are staring over an economic precipice and we need to get the message out that we are the party of the economy and be the government of the economy, which is the way the Conservatives have always been seen.

We also need to make sure that people understand that we will stand up for public services.

Billions and billions of pounds have been put into public services and the public don't really see where that is going.

Despite £100bn going into the health service we still have real shortages in maternity care, dentistry and other areas and the public need to know that we will stand up for better public services.

Question: Andrew Lansley recently said he would spend even more on the NHS - do your tax and spending plans really add up?

Penning: Andrew was talking about Wanless which the government is supporting.

What we must make sure of is that the money that goes into the health service in particular is not wasted and so it is absolutely crucial that the money goes to the front line and is not wasted on consultants.

But frankly until we see the books, until we get into the Department of Health and see exactly where this £100bn is going it is difficult to be specific.

What the department doesn't need is for us to shake them up in the first month or year and turn the spending commitment around so that is why we are committed to the spending plan that the government has - so there can be some confidence in an incoming Conservative administration.

Question: Given the government's recent problems shouldn't the Conservatives be doing better in the polls?

Penning: We are doing brilliantly well in the polls. I have just been looking at some of the polls around my constituency where I have a 0.1 per cent majority but the polls suggest I would have a 10 per cent majority at the next election which is pretty good for one of the most marginal seats in the country.

And I think what we need to look at when we look at polling is the key marginal seats because they are the ones that you need to win and we are working on.

If anything we are over-confident and that's why the prime minister ran away from the autumn election.

Question: But a lot of the increased support is in your traditional heartlands in south east England - don't you think you should be looking to the Celtic fringe and the cities of the north where you don't seem to be making much headway?

Penning: I don't think so. I think we need to talk to people and explain to them what we stand for as a party again. Remember that we suffered the most serious electoral defeat in 1997 that this party has experienced in modern times and to come back from that has been a real struggle, but what David Cameron has managed to do is secure our base and then move forward.

We are very close, the latest polling shows we would have a majority of 29 and that's pretty good news for a party that was all but wiped out in 1997.

Question: Boris Johnson promises to be a star turn at the conference and it is being said that if he won in May it would be a springboard for the Conservatives but if he loses would it dent the party's recovery?

Penning: Boris has a fantastic opportunity of winning in London against a candidate that was supposed to be Mr Teflon, the London mayor Ken - no-one was supposed to be able to touch him. Well we have proved now that we can actually take Labour on in their heartlands, in London and give them a bloody good fight so I am looking forward to it.

I think Boris will do it but it will be about the issues that matter to Londoners: law and order, the health service, traffic - which is a disaster - all these things Ken has been responsible for so he should take the brunt of the punishment.