As MPs return to the House of Commons this week, after Easter recess, we take a look at what contribution the Braintree and Witham MPs make to the chamber.

Analysis shows how often the Conservative MP for Witham Priti Patel and Conservative MP for Braintree James Cleverly have voted, how many debates they've taken part in, and how many parliamentary questions they've asked since the last general election.

The figures, from the House of Commons Library, show the activities of MPs between the state opening of Parliament on December 16, 2019, and March 7 this year.

Of the 491 votes over this time, Priti Patel, who serves as The Secretary of State for the Home Department, recorded 294 ayes or noes.

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She recorded no vote, or abstained, on 197 occasions – giving the Tory representative a participation rate of 60 per cent.

But this was below the average for all UK politicians who have sat in the House of Commons since the election (excluding the Speakers) of 81 per cent.

On the other hand James Cleverly, who also serves in the Government, recorded 415 ayes or noes.

He recorded no vote, or abstained, on 76 occasions – giving the Tory representative a participation rate of 85 per cent, above the average.

Several MPs had participation rates as high as 95 per cent, while fellow Tory MP Sir Christopher Chope voted in just 36 per cent of divisions.

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The HoC Library said MPs may not vote because they are carrying out other work related to their parliamentary, government or opposition roles.

And participation rates may be affected by ‘pairing arrangements’, whereby MPs from different parties who cannot attend a division agree to cancel out one another’s vote.

Before divisions, debates are held for Members to discuss government policy, new laws and topical issues of the day to help the House reach an informed decision.

Since the last election, Ms Patel, 50, has taken part in 87 debates, speaking a total of 158,000 words.

Mr Cleverly, 52, has taken part in 102 debates, speaking a total of 106,341 words.

By comparison, the average MP has spoken 44,530 words over the same period, Prime Minister Boris Johnson around 394,000 and Democratic Unionist Party MP Jim Shannon a whopping 560,000.

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These include spoken contributions and oral questions in the House of Commons chamber and in Westminster Hall, but not those shorter than four words.

The figures also show both James Cleverly, who was elected to his seat on May 7, 2015, and Priti Patel, elected on May 6, 2010, have not asked any Parliamentary Questions since the last election.

These are put formally to a government minister about a matter they are responsible for – to seek information or to press for action from the Government.

The HoC Library said Members with roles in Government – such as Priti Patel – tend to ask fewer parliamentary questions but speak relatively frequently on their portfolio subjects.