SOUTH Somerset's two Liberal Democrat MPs have - for the third year running - had the highest voting records out of all the county MPs.

Yeovil MP David Laws and Somerton and Frome MP David Heath top the list of Somerset MPs attendance in the House of Commons votes for the 2002-03 session of Parliament.

And they both said: "It is important that our elected representatives participate in debates and votes - particularly those that affect our area - as these votes result in legislation that affects all of us."

Both MPs have active constituency diaries, deal with a large amount of casework each week and conduct wide reaching campaigns such as Mr. Laws' recent campaign to recognise the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landings which was spearheaded in conjunction with the Yeovil Express.

Mr Heath said: "I am pleased to see that the new voting figures show that David Laws and I have been able to attend the important debates in the House of Commons while also carrying out our constituency responsibilities.

"It has been a great privilege to represent Somerton and Frome in Parliament and I will continue to use debates and votes in the House of Commons to help my constituency".

Mr Laws added: "It is an honour to serve as the MP for Yeovil. I believe it is my duty to be present in the House of Commons for all the debates and votes that will affect my constituents, to ensure that their concerns are addressed."

Somerset MPs participation records for 2002-03: David Heath (Somerton and Frome - LibDem) 83 per cent; David Laws (Yeovil - LibDem) 83 per cent; Ian Liddell-Grainger (Bridgwater - Conservative) 80 per cent; Adrian Flook (Taunton - Conservative) 77 per cent; David Heathcoat-Amory (Wells - Conservative) 66 per cent.