David Ruffley

David Ruffley MP has today written to the leaders of St Edmundsbury Borough Council and Mid Suffolk District Council asking what steps their Councils are taking to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from domestic sources.

New figures, published this week by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), show that, per capita, residents in St Edmundsbury and Mid Suffolk were responsible for 2.7 tonnes and 2.6 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions respectively from domestic sources in 2004, the latest year for which figures are available.

David Ruffley MP has today written to Councillor Patricia O'Brien, Portfolio Holder for Children, Schools and Young People's Services at Suffolk County Council, highlighting a £51,359 grant for a 'youth-friendly' website to promote positive activities for young people in Suffolk.

The grant is the first step in increasing young people's involvement in positive activities and establishing and promoting the activities that are available within the county.

David Ruffley MP has today written to the leader of St Edmundsbury Borough Council, Councillor John Griffiths, calling on him and his Council to give their backing to a Bury St Edmunds World Heritage Status bid.

World Heritage Sites are places of international importance for the conservation of mankind's cultural and natural heritage. In 2005, there were 812 World Heritage Sites, including 26 in the UK and overseas territories.

World Heritage Sites are places that need to be preserved for future generations, as part of a common universal heritage.

David Ruffley MP, the Shadow Minister for Welfare Reform, has today called on the residents of Suffolk and the East of England to show their support for World AIDS day on 1 December 2006.

Around 40 million people are living with HIV throughout the world - and that number increases in every region every day.

In the UK alone, more than 60,000 people are living with HIV and more than 7,000 more are diagnosed every year.

World AIDS Day is an opportunity for people worldwide to unite in the fight against HIV and AIDS.

David said:

David Ruffley MP has today spoken of his desire to see Suffolk residents embracing green initiatives and thinking this Christmas.

David said:

'Christmas is a wonderful time of year; a time for family, friends and celebration. However, we must not forget about our environmental responsibilities during the festive period.

David Ruffley MP has today launched an online petition, on his website www.tellDavidRuffley.com, to save the West Suffolk Hospital Accident and Emergency department.

The petition reads:

David Ruffley MP has today written to Councillor John Griffiths, Leader of St Edmundsbury Borough Council, asking what is being done to address a number concerns raised by local shop owners and traders in Bury St Edmunds.

David has been contacted by local traders concerned over:

• A lack of central car parking in the town- on Saturday 2 December car parks in Bury St Edmunds were full to capacity.

• Access to the Town Centre is being made more difficult due to the Cattle Market development.

David Ruffley MP has today expressed his deep concern at the rise in Suffolk drunk and disorderly offences since late licensing legislation came into effect.

David released the figures following his questioning of Gerry Sutcliffe, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Home Office.

The new House of Commons figures reveal that the number of fixed penalty notices issued by Suffolk police to people being found drunk and disorderly rose from 267 in 2004 to 377 in 2005.

This is an increase of 41 percent in a single year.

David Ruffley MP has today voiced his dismay at the fact that Suffolk receives the lowest funding per pupil of all the counties in the East of England.

The figures were revealed in answer to David Ruffley's questioning of Jim Knight, Minister of State at the Department for Education and Skills.

In the 2006-07 academic year the funding per pupil for counties in the East of England is as follows:

Bedfordshire £3407

Cambridgeshire £3407

Essex £3524

Hertfordshire £3507

Norfolk £3423

Suffolk £3372

David Ruffley MP has today spoken of his outrage at the funding that Suffolk schools will be receiving from the Government in the 2007/08 academic year.

Out of the 149 Local Education Authorities in England, Suffolk comes 134th- just 15 places from the bottom.

Suffolk's allocation of £3,591.24 per pupil is less than all the other counties in the East of England.

East of England education funding per pupil for 2007/08:

Essex £3,752.36 99th

Hertfordshire £3,730.25 103rd

Norfolk £3,648.44 123rd

Bedfordshire £3,632.61 126th