David Ruffley

David Ruffley MP has today released details of a visit he is making to the site of the proposed controversial freight distribution centre near Stowmarket.

David will be visiting the site on Friday 8 June at 11am along with Fred Hillyer and other residents to hear the views of local people and to see, at first hand, the impact the proposed scheme will have on the surrounding area.

David has also launched a petition, in support of local residents, against the proposed scheme at www.tellDavidRuffley.com.

David said:

David Ruffley MP will be meeting with executive partners at Stowhealth on Friday 8 June to discuss concerns regarding the Personal Medical Services (PMS) contract offer from Suffolk Primary Care Trust.

46 of the 69 GP practices in Suffolk are currently signed up to the PMS contact.

GPs in the county have rejected the latest contract offer from Suffolk PCT which would see practices performing additional services, such as minor surgery, in return for no extra funding.

David said:

'GPs in Suffolk have rejected Suffolk PCT's latest contract offer as unacceptable.

David Ruffley MP has today written to the new Chief Constable of Suffolk Constabulary, Simon Ash, asking why 174 cautions have been issued in Suffolk for sexual offences over the past five years.

Of the 174 cautions 9 were for rape and 46 were for offences involving children.

The figures were obtained by the BBC in a series of Freedom of Information requests to England's police forces.

David said:

David Ruffley MP has today spoken out against the Government's under-funding of the Health Service in Suffolk.

Newly released House of Commons figures reveal that in 2007/08 Suffolk's NHS funding per unweighted head of the population is only 88 percent of the national average.

In 2007/08 Suffolk will be receiving £1,227 per unweighted head of the population compared with a national average of £1,388 per head.

David Ruffley will be meeting with Suffolk PCT at 5pm on Friday 15 June to receive an update on their financial position and progress within the NHS in Suffolk.

David Ruffley MP will be visiting Stowmarket Middle School on Friday 27 April to give students a 'bird's eye' view of the House of Commons and the process of a debate.

David will be met by David Etchells Butler, Head of Geography, and will be listening to what staff at the school have to say about plans to scrap three tier education.

David said:

'I am eagerly anticipating my visit to Stowmarket Middle School. I always enjoy meeting with staff and students at the school and have every confidence that this occasion will be no different.

David Ruffley MP has today released new House of Commons figures which reveal that in 2005, the latest year for which figures are available, 20 percent of new homes in Suffolk were built on former back gardens.

Under present planning rules, because gardens are classed as brownfield sites, just like a derelict factory or railway siding, they are subject to a presumption in favour of development. This means it is difficult for local councils to refuse planning permission without the risk that their decision is overturned by the Planning Inspectorate.

David Ruffley MP will be visiting RAF Honington on Friday 27 April at 2pm at the invitation of Lt Col Gibb.

David will meet with recruits at the RAF Regiment Training Wing then see new recruits accommodation before meeting with 15 Sqn RAF Regt to see role change training.

David said:

'We are privileged to have RAF Honington in our community. I am eagerly anticipating my visit and look forward to discussing the vital role they play.

David Ruffley MP has today spoken of his concern for the region's hard working NHS staff following the publication of new House of Commons figures which reveal that there were 2,508 attacks on NHS staff in Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk during 2005/06.

This was the tenth highest level of attacks in the whole of the Country and an increase of 7 percent on the previous year.

David said:

'These new House of Commons figures make alarming reading. Over 2,500 hard working nurses, doctors and support staff in the East Anglia were physically attacked during 2005/06.

David Ruffley MP will be visiting Greene King in Bury St Edmunds on Friday 4 May at 11.30am for a brewery tour and lunch with Chief Executive, Rooney Anand.

In 2005/06 Greene King's four business units together contributed to a turnover of £818.6 million, with a profit before tax of £119.6 million. They now employ approximately 18,000 people, including 650 at the head office in Bury St Edmunds, have a pub estate of around 2,500 houses, and operate distribution depots in Abingdon near Oxford, Crayford in Kent, and Nottingham.

David said:

David Ruffley MP has today released new House of Commons figures, obtained during his questioning of Harriet Harman, Minister of State at the Department for Constitutional Affairs, which reveal that the number of bankruptcy orders made in Suffolk has increased by a staggering 183 percent since 1998.

The number of bankruptcy orders made in Bury St Edmunds County Court increased from 87 in 1998 to 274 in 2006, an increase of 215 percent.

The number of bankruptcy orders made in Ipswich County Court increased from 191 to 513 during the same period, an increase of 167 percent.