David Ruffley

David Ruffley MP for Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket has described recent crime detection figures that he has uncovered from Home Office Ministers as 'worrying.'

David Ruffley said, 'I am extremely concerned that detection rates for most types of crime in Suffolk have deteriorated in the last five years. The most up to date figures show that detection rates for burglaries are down to 19% in Suffolk.

David Ruffley MP published new research today showing how Bury St Edmunds, Stowmarket and Needham Market's pensioners are suffering from higher council taxes. For a typical pensioner couple, one third of the increase in the basic state pension since 1997 has been snatched back in higher council taxes.

Whilst the basic state pension has risen by £1,248 since 1997, council taxes across England have soared by £413 on Band D bills in the same period.

David Ruffley MP has unearthed new figures from Health Ministers that show the large cost of the bed blocking problem in Suffolk.

In a written question to the Health Ministers, David Ruffley asked how much bed blocking was costing the Suffolk taxpayer. The answer reveals that it is costing the Suffolk taxpayer an astonishing £13,000 per day or a staggering £4,745,000 per year.

Conservatives today published new research showing that 99 per cent of the local authority areas with elections on 1st May in England and Wales have experienced some form of rising crime in the last recorded year.

Analysis of the most recent Home Office crime statistics shows that in the last year, almost every single council in England and Wales has faced soaring robberies, burglaries, sexual offences, theft of or from motor vehicles, or violence against the person.

David Ruffley, said:

David Ruffley is supporting Central Suffolk Broadband in their bid to the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) for funding to provide broadband services to villages in his constituency.

David Ruffley MP has written a strong supporting letter to Suffolk County Council asking for them to provide a grant to St Edmunds Pre School and Sunshine Club.

David said, 'I have been in regular contact with the Vice Chairman of the Committee of the St Edmunds Catholic Pre School and Sunshine Club, Mrs Suzie Haworth in trying to gain funding for this outstanding project. The Committee has worked extremely hard to secure funding from various sources including the New Opportunities Fund and the Countryside Agency.

David Ruffley will present an Investor in People Award to Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School on Friday 21 March at 3.45 p.m. at the invitation of Mrs Sue Herriott, Headteacher. The school is in Bridewell Lane, Bury St Edmunds.

The award ceremony will be attended by staff, governors and other invited guests.

Conservative victory on Annuities Bill despite Labour's attempts to block it

David Ruffley MP and his Conservative colleagues have achieved a major victory for Suffolk's pensioners by moving forward a new law for the reform of annuities. The proposed Bill debated before the House of Commons on 7 March would reform rules on annuities so that pensioners are no longer forced to cash in their pension fund for an annuity at age 75. Commenting David Ruffley said:

Suffolk would gain an additional 378 police officers under Conservative proposals announced by David Ruffley MP today. In all, 40,000 extra officers, over and above existing plans, would be recruited in England and Wales over an eight-year period, beginning in the second year of the next Conservative Government. These increases would be funded by scrapping the existing asylum system and replacing it with a rational, quota-based system for refugees. Announcing the proposals, David said: 'This radical policy will have an enormous impact on the fight against crime.

David Ruffley MP has signed an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons calling on the Chancellor to announce a duty reduction for environmentally friendly fuels which would be greatly welcomed by Suffolk's farmers.