'This is a cowardly move from Mr Prescott to hide the impact of his new drinking laws'

David Ruffley MP has today condemned the Government's new licensing laws that came into force at midnight. New House of Commons figures show that the 'number of violent offences committed in connection with licensed premises' has gone up steadily in Suffolk over the last three years.

More violent offences of this nature were committed in Suffolk than in Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire or Norfolk*. In each of the last three years; 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05 the number of offences in Suffolk were 808, 993 and 1007. In Bedfordshire 693, 762 and 849. In Cambridgeshire 584, 750 and 753. In Norfolk 521 in 2002-03 and 540 in 2003-04. See attached table for nationwide figures.

To make matters worse the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister has now astonishingly moved to abolish the collection of these figures in the future making it difficult to establish the impact of the new drink laws.

David said:

'On the day that the Government's new late licensing laws come into force it is clear that alcohol-related crime in Suffolk has increased and is continuing to increase. These new House of Commons figures show the madness of the licensing free-for-all. In Suffolk we already see more alcohol-related crime than Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire or Norfolk.'

'Late licensing will mean an explosion in binge drinking, violent crime and public nuisance. However, we now learn that Mr Prescott has conveniently decided to stop collecting and publishing these figures. This is nothing more than a cynical and cowardly move to cover up the impact of his new licensing laws.

'My constituents in Suffolk have now had enough of yob culture and I will do everything I can to make sure these figures continue to be collated so we can see the true impact of these antisocial and irresponsible drink laws.'

Notes to Editors

*Violent offences committed in connection with licensed premises were higher in Suffolk than in Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire in each of the last three years and higher than in Norfolk in 2002-03 and 2003-04, figures for 2004-05 for Norfolk are not available.

The collection of this data by local councils is to be abolished making it difficult to establish the impact of the change to licensing laws. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's guidance document on the 2004-05 'best value indicators' confirms that violent attacks 'committed under the influence of drink' and 'in connection with a licensed premises' will no longer be collected or published.

The website for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister can be found at:

http://www.odpm.gov.uk/