David Ruffley

David Ruffley MP has today released new figures which show that over a third of small businesses started in Suffolk since 1997 have subsequently ceased trading.

David Ruffley's latest parliamentary question to Margaret Hodge, Minister of State for Industry and the Regions, has revealed that 31 percent of all business start ups that began trading in the Bury St Edmunds constituency since 1997 ceased trading by 2005, the latest year for which figures are available.

Across Suffolk and the East of England the figure is even worse with 34 and 36 percent closing respectively.

David Ruffley MP has today released a letter he has sent to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Ruth Kelly MP, attacking Ipswich Borough Council's bid for unitary status.

Ipswich Borough Council is one of 16 Councils short-listed for unitary status and a decision is due in July of this year.

David said:

'If England's boroughs and counties are wiped off the map and replaced with 'sub-regional' hybrids, it will weaken local identities and create a vacuum in which the unelected regional assemblies will suck up yet more power.

David Ruffley MP has today released new House of Commons figures, obtained during his questioning of Harriet Harman MP, Minister of State at the Department for Constitutional Affairs, which reveal the number of mortgage possession orders made in Suffolk has more than doubled since 1997.

In 1997 there were 219 mortgage possession orders made at county courts in Suffolk. In 2006 this figure stood at 458- an increase of 109 percent.

'Of course I will be voting for my MP's expenses and all my correspondence to be published under the Freedom of Information laws.

'I do not believe that there should be one rule for MPs and another

for everyone else.

'The Liberal Democrats are throwing mud yet again and should grow up.'

Commenting on his vote on the Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill on Friday 18 May David Ruffley said:

David Ruffley MP has today released new House of Commons figures, obtained during his questioning of Barry Gardiner, Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which reveal that the agricultural labour force in Suffolk has fallen by 1,498 workers since 1997.

In 1997 the total agricultural labour force in Suffolk was 11,791. In 2006, the latest year for which figures are available, the total agricultural labour force stood at 10,293. This represents the loss of 1,498 farm workers in just nine years.

David said:

David Ruffley MP, the Shadow Minister for Welfare Reform, has today offset all the CO2 emissions he has caused from driving in the last 12 months.

David's move has been supported by his Constituency Association who have agreed to offset all business miles accrued by its employees.

By making a payment to www.climatecare.org David has ensured that all emissions his driving has been responsible for have been offset.

Climate Care offset carbon emissions by funding projects around the world. These can be in:

David Ruffley MP has today released new House of Commons figures obtained during his questioning of Andy Burnham, Minister of State at the Department of Health, which reveal that there are fewer acute hospital beds per 100,000 of the population in the East of England than there were four years ago.

In 2002/03 there were, on average, 213.65 available acute beds per 100,000 of the population in the former Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Strategic Health Authority (SHA) area. In 2005/06, the latest year for which figures are available, this figure had fallen to 198.28.

David Ruffley MP has today released new House of Commons figures he obtained during his questioning of Vernon Coaker, Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Home Office, which reveal that instances of criminal damage in Suffolk have shot up by 67 percent since 1997.

In 1997 there were 7,835 recorded offences of criminal damage in Suffolk. In 2005/06, the latest year for which figures are available, this figure was 13,067.

David Ruffley MP will be chairing a key meeting between Bury St Edmunds residents, local councillors and representatives from Asda on Friday 30 March at 7pm at County Upper School.

Residents from the Howard, Mildenhall and Westley estates have been vocal in their calls for a new supermarket on the former Co-Op site on Western Way.

Asda has submitted a planning application to St Edmundsbury Borough Council and this is likely to be considered in the early summer.

David said:

David Ruffley MP has today spoken of his outrage at new House of Commons figures which reveal that Suffolk Constabulary get the least funding per head of the population in the whole of the East of England.

The 2006/07 Government allocations, per head of the population, to police forces in the East of England were as follows:

Bedfordshire £129.22

Cambridgeshire £118.34

Essex £118.00

Hertfordshire £116.30

Norfolk £122.65

Suffolk £113.57

David said: