TAUNTON MP Adrian Flook boasts an above-average voting record, figures just released by the Library of the House of Commons show.

But he has advised constituents not to read too much into the statistics, which show he took part in 77per cent of the 390 divisions - the average is 68 per cent - in the last Parliamentary year.

Mr Flook said: "Looking at the results, Somerset is well served by its MPs, but you can't read too much into them as voting is only one part of the many duties we perform.

"As a conscientious constituency MP, there are of course times when I need to return home to be at particular events in Somerset in the middle of the week and it is important to understand that I cannot be in two places at the same time.

"These figures therefore do not take official absences into account, such as business away from London or on House of Commons select committees and there is also no provision made for 'formal abstentions' to be recorded.

"Some constituents may think that that we must be able to decide to vote 'aye or no' on every vote, but, as in life, it is never as simple as that."