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.

Bury St Edmunds County Court saw an increase of 109 percent in mortgage possession orders over the same period while Ipswich County Court saw an increase of 70 percent.

David said:

'These new House of Commons figures make worrying reading for Suffolk's home owners.

'The colossal increase in house prices since 1997 alongside unparalleled levels of personal debt have clearly had a disastrous impact on the lives on many Suffolk residents.

'Last week I revealed new figures which showed that the number of bankruptcy orders made at Bury St Edmunds County Court has increased by over 200 percent since 1998.

'This coupled with the fact that the number of homes being repossessed at the court has more than doubled since 1997 show the shocking toll that this Government has taken on the finances of the people of Suffolk.

'People are being encouraged to borrow too much, and lenders are making poor lending decisions.

'These statistics are just the latest symptom of an economy built on debt. Hundreds of people a year are being forced into financial ruin and it is Gordon Brown who is to blame."