Local people have given their overwhelming support to the Education policies supported by David Ruffley MP.

David Ruffley MP this week released the results of his latest online survey, filled in by local people on his innovative interactive website www.telldavidruffley.com.

A total of 244 people responded to the survey on education and local schools. Half of all those who responded highlighted bad behaviour and a lack of discipline as their number one concern about local schools. To counter this an overwhelming majority, 92.6%, support policies proposed by David to give headteachers the power to expel disruptive pupils. 84.8% also supported plans to remove disruptive pupils from schools and place them in special 'turn-around' schools.

David said:

'I always welcome the views of my constituents and this new innovation is just the latest way I have found of communicating with them. I find the results of this survey interesting. I know from the letters I receive and the people I meet that discipline in schools is a major concern for local people. Over 90% support giving greater powers to headteachers to expel disruptive pupils.

'The survey shows local people do not blame teachers or headteachers for the problems and neither do I. I know the amount of hard work our dedicated, professional teachers put into their jobs and these concerns are not their fault.

'The current Government have failed to tackle the growing problems in education. As an illustration of falling standards, in my constituency of Bury St Edmunds, over 1900 pupils truanted in 2003, an increase of more than 90% since 1997. This is unacceptable.'