The most and least active law-makers in Sussex have been revealed in a report detailing MPs' voting records over the last year.

It shows Brighton Kemp Town's Des Turner, Hastings and Rye's Michael Foster and Chichester's Andrew Tyrie cast their vote most often out of the county's MPs.

They voted in 81 per cent of the divisions in the 2003/4 parliamentary session ending in November, when the average record out of all 659 MPs was 65 per cent.

Brighton Pavilion's David Lepper was also active, voting on 77 per cent of opportunities.

At the other end of the scale, the county's least active legislators were Horsham's Francis Maude (41 per cent), Mid-Sussex's Nicholas Soames (45 per cent) and Hove's Ivor Caplin (58 per cent).

But the authors of the report, which has been placed in the House of Commons Library, warn there are different factors to be taken into account concerning voting records.

Ross Young and Jeremy Hardacre say in the foreword: "Participation may be affected by a number of factors.

"These may include ministerial or Opposition frontbench duties, visits abroad as part of a parliamentary or committee delegation, constituency business or party duties."

Involvement in Government or Opposition duties is one of the biggest factors to determine participation.

Prime Minister Tony Blair voted in only six per cent of divisions and Chancellor Gordon Brown in eight per cent.

Other factors include Parliamentary trips abroad, sickness and constituency business. There is no record, either, of MPs' abstentions even when they are present. The figures have been compiled from Hansard, the official record of parliamentary proceedings, which records only Aye or No votes.

Mr Turner was modest about his high voting record and defended those of colleagues who did not score so well.

He said: "The fact people aren't there for a vote doesn't necessarily mean they are slacking.

"It means they are doing something else, abroad on parliamentary business or have permission from the whips to be in their constituency.

"The amount of time I've spent abroad over the last few months has been less than usual so that hasn't detracted from my voting.

"The other 19 per cent I didn't vote in was taken up by constituency business."

Of the county's low-scoring MPs, Mr Caplin is a defence minister and Mr Soames is the shadow defence secretary.

Norman Baker, MP for Lewes, whose voting record of 60 per cent was also below average, is the Liberal Democrats' shadow environment secretary.

The full list of Sussex MPs is:

Des Turner (Brighton Kemp Town), 81 per cent Michael Foster (Hastings and Rye), 81 per cent Andrew Tyrie (Chichester), 81 per cent David Lepper (Brighton Pavilion), 77 per cent Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham), 74 per cent Charles Hendry (Wealden), 70 per cent Nigel Waterson (Eastbourne), 68 per cent Howard Flight (Arundel and South Downs), 65 per cent Peter Bottomley (West Worthing), 61 per cent Norman Baker (Lewes), 60 per cent Ivor Caplin (Hove), 58 per cent Nicholas Soames (Mid-Sussex), 45 per cent Francis Maude (Horsham), 41 per cent