David Ruffley

Following a spate of distraction burglaries in West Suffolk, David Ruffley MP, the Shadow Minister for Police Reform, has urged local people, especially the elderly, to be very cautious over whom they let into their homes.

The most common trap that local residents fall into is a claim that the visitor is from the 'water board' and urgently needs to gain access to a property because of problems with supply. While they are distracted another person enters the home and goes to the most common places used to store pensions or savings.

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David Ruffley MP has today written to Carole Taylor-Brown, Chief Executive of Suffolk Primary Care Trust (PCT), asking that she release details of areas being considered for polyclinics in Suffolk.

A polyclinic is a large 'super surgery' which involves closing small local GP practices and moving their services into one central unit.

David Ruffley MP will present his Woolpit constituent, Mrs Joan Fry, with her award as a 'Local Hero' at the MPs' Heroes' Tea Party official award ceremony at the House of Commons on Tuesday, 24 June.

The award, a national scheme which celebrates older volunteers' achievements, is organised by The Experience Corps and the All Party Parliamentary Group on the Community and Voluntary Sector.

David Ruffley MP will be one of the key speakers at the London rally to be held on Thursday 19 June- the day the National Air Traffic Services (NATS) consultation closes.

The event, organised by Airport Watch to protest against the air traffic proposals, will bring together campaigners from throughout the Eastern Region.

Campaigners will assemble near the southern end of Waterloo Bridge on the west side of the bridge near the National Film Theatre.

DAVID RUFFLEY MP SHADOW MINISTER FOR POLICE REFORM: '20% FALL IN PROSECUTIONS OF 10-17 YEAR OLDS FOR BEING DRUNK AND DISORDERLY PROVES WE NEED MORE POLICE ON THE STREETS.'

David Ruffley MP, Shadow Minister for Police Reform has unearthed shocking new Government statistics, which show why we need more police on our streets.

David Ruffley MP has expressed his shock and anger at the decision by Post Office Ltd to go ahead with all the proposed post office closures in his Bury St Edmunds constituency.

The following sub-post office branches will close: Combs Ford and Crown Street in Stowmarket, Fornham All Saints, Gislingham, Great Ashfield, Old Newton, Wattisfield and Wattisham Airfield. A post office outreach service point is to be set up at venues in Gislingham and Wattisham Airfield.

RED tape and bureaucracy for police has increased the cost of dealing with criminal incidents by pounds 80 million in three years, the Tories claim.

The total staff cost of dealing with incidents has risen by pounds 158 million to pounds 1.2 billion since 2004-05, figures obtained by David Ruffley , the shadow police minister, show.

Just over half of this figure - nearly pounds 80 million - was down to red tape and bureaucracy, Mr Ruffley said.

HE Home Office was blasted last night after its taxi bill soared an incredible 30-FOLD to nearly Pounds 1million.

The Home Office taxi bill rose from Pounds 30,000 to Pounds 900,000 in the last ten years, figures obtained by the Conservatives show.

Spending on hotels and flights by Whitehall pen-pushers has also rocketed.

Tories said they were stunned by the increase and demanded an explanation from MPs.

HOME Office staff spent almost £11million on taxis, hotels and flights last year.

The bill - picked up by the taxpayer - has rocketed by almost 50 per cent in only three years.

Taxis alone cost the public £900,000 in 2007/08, up 30-fold from the £30,000 spent in 1997/98.

Meanwhile the bill for overseas hotels reached £4,318,000, a rise of 167 per cent from 2004-05, when the cost was £1,614,000.

It comes at a time when Home Secretary Jacqui Smith is forcing police to take an effective pay increase of only 1.9 per cent.

TENS of thousands of girls cannot join the Guides because potential leaders are being put off by criminal records checks, the Children's Commissioner said yesterday.

Nearly 50,000 girls aged from 10 to 14 face severe delays in joining a patrol because red tape means there are not enough adults cleared to supervise them, said Professor Sir Al Aynsley-Green.

Other groups are understood to have raised concerns about criminal records checks, including St John Ambulance.