David Ruffley

David Ruffley MP and the Reverend Jonathan Ford are leading the campaign to make Bury St Edmunds a Fair Trade Town. David's Treasury Select Committee work in Parliament- where he cross examines the chiefs of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund- has led him to take this local campaigning role.

David is now lobbying St Edmundsbury Borough Council to go ahead with the initiative.

David Ruffley MP today endorsed new Conservative plans to increase the basic state pension in line with earnings and reverse the trend for more and more pensioners to have to subject themselves to intrusive means tests. Over a four year period, the basic state pension would rise by £7 a week for a single person and £11 a week for couples- in addition to increases to match inflation.

David Ruffley is supporting Stowupland Pre-School in their efforts to raise funding for their new purpose built school premises.

At present the Pre-School operates from rooms within Stowupland Primary School but they were given notice to leave and had to find an alternative site. They have been offered an area of the Primary School's playing field on a fifteen year lease from Suffolk County Council but the Pre-School has to raise £100,000 to erect a new building.

David Ruffley has been invited to lead the celebrations at Rickinghall Farmers' Market on Saturday, 11 October when the Market celebrates its third anniversary in Rickinghall Village Hall. The Market is held on the second Saturday of every month between 9.00 a.m. and 1.00 p.m.

David Ruffley will be cutting the anniversary cake at 11.10 a.m. on Saturday, 11 October. Press and photographers welcome.

The cost of an enhanced Criminal Records Bureau check will rise to £33 next April, after an increase from £12 to £29 last July.

David Ruffley said, 'The Government's decision to increase the fee charged by the Criminal Records Bureau for carrying out checks on job applicants is shocking. This will be the second rise in less than a year.

'These checks are mandatory for teachers and care workers. When we look at the reasons for this exorbitant rise, it is clear that it is a result of the Government's failure to manage this Agency.

David Ruffley MP today warned that new proposals by the Government would further reduce the voice of St Edmundsbury Borough Council and Mid Suffolk District Council and local people on planning, opening the door to green spaces and Green Belt being concreted over.