David Ruffley

Macmillan today thanked David Ruffley, MP for Bury St Edmunds, for keeping his promise to support Macmillan Cancer Relief's campaign to ensure cancer services money reaches the frontline and gets spent where it's meant.

David Ruffley is one of over 70 MPs, from all parties, who is acting on a pledge to use his powerful, local influence to help ensure the new three-year NHS budgets deliver quality cancer services for local people

David Ruffley MP has written to Councillor Peter Monk, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Suffolk County Council, complaining about the LibDem's support for the County Council's 18.5% increase in council tax from April this year.

The letter, which has also been signed by other Suffolk Conservative MPs, is attached.

David Ruffley will attend the annual Suffolk National Farmers' Union dinner for the county's MPs and MEPs on Friday, 21 March at the Cedars Hotel in Stowmarket.

David said: 'The NFU dinner has become an important annual event at which senior regional NFU officers and members have the opportunity to discuss current farming industry issues.

David Ruffley is supporting the bid by Stowupland High School for Specialist School Status. He has written a letter of support to Charles Clarke, Secretary of State for Education and Skills.

David said: 'I am delighted to support Stowupland in their bid to the Department for Education and Skills for Specialist School Status to become a Mathematics and Computing College.

David Ruffley is participating in 'MPs' Question Time' organised by the Suffolk Branch of the Institute of Directors on Friday, 21 March at Ravenwood Hall Hotel, Rougham.

Joining David on the panel will be Chris Mole, MP for Ipswich, and James Walsh, IoD Parliamentary and European Advisor. Broadcaster, Paul Heiney will chair the meeting.

The meeting is open to members of the Institute of Directors and their guests.

David Ruffley said: 'I have signed a new Early Day Motion together with MPs from several other parties. It requests that the Speaker of the House of Commons be given the power to recall the House at any time to debate possible military action against Iraq.

It is essential that there is an open parliamentary debate on any move to war and the motion I have signed gives the Speaker, who is independent, the power to make this happen- rather than leave it to the Prime Minister. This will be an important safeguard for democracy, in my view.'

David Ruffley MP today attacked Labour plans, supported by the Liberal Democrats, to restrict the Right to Buy on council housing. By contrast, Bury St Edmunds Conservatives pledged to make home ownership more accessible to those on low incomes by:-

Protecting the Right to Buy on St Edmundsbury Borough Council's 6,049 and Mid Suffolk District Council's 3,694 council houses, and;

Extending the scope of the Right to Buy across St Edmundsbury Borough Council's 1,187 and Mid Suffolk District Council's 536 non council owned housing association dwellings (socially rented sector).

Minister's refusal to listen to Local MP's demands for adequate cold weather

payments spells disappointment for Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket pensioners

David Ruffley MP for Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket expressed his sorrow and dismay at a reply that he has received from Pensions Minister, Mr Malcolm Wicks MP, to his demands for an acceptable increase in cold weather payments for pensioners. David's demand followed complaints from Age Concern Suffolk's Chief Officer, Mrs Daphne Savage.

David Ruffley MP congratulated Conservatives in Parliament who extracted a guarantee from the Government that retained (part-time) fire-fighters would not lose their jobs in the Government's fire service modernisation review. This means that the 352 retained fire fighters across Suffolk will not face the threat of job cuts.

Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket MP pledges to continue his ongoing campaign against new red tape on local musicians:

David Ruffley MP pledged to campaign against the plans to hit local musicians with new red-tape and fees. David Ruffley has been in regular contact with local musicians and churches about the Licensing Bill which is currently before Parliament. He has warned that it will force local churches to pay for licences to hold nativity plays or concerts. Now music organisations across the country have warned that they also face a 'music tax'.