WYRE Forest's MP Dr Richard Taylor has been a thorn in the side of the Govern-ment's health department during the last two years, regularly demanding information through Parliam-entary questions, according to a new survey.

The Independent MP asked a total of 52 questions in the period from June 13, 2001 to November 7 last year - and all but a handful were on health matters. He also contributed 16 times to Parliamentary debates.

The new figures, released by the Commons Library, revealed the average MP made 23 debate contributions and asked 113 questions in Parliament or in writing.

The figures also show how often MPs voted, and provide an easy - if not completely accurate - way of determining how hard they are working.

Dr Taylor was elected after spearheading the battle to save A&E and other services at Kidderminster Hospital. Many of the questions asked during the period - which included the run-up to the opening of the new Worcestershire Royal Hospital - related to the county's acute hospitals trust.

Funding concerns were key to many of the questions, with Dr Taylor raising issues including the amount spent on agency nurses; the costs of covering the duties of a suspended consultant; redundancy pay levels for NHS executives; and the cost of a trip to the USA by health executives researching ambulatory care.

He also asked a series of questions regarding services at the three acute hospitals in the county.

His other health questions ranged from a request for frontline ambulance staff to get anti-stab vests; a call for the release of details of the waiting times for non-urgent prostate operations; a query about the morning-after pill for schoolgirls; and a request to involve MPs in key health appointments.

Dr Taylor asked one planning question in July last year, when he asked for a list of local authorities which had rejected incinerator schemes in the last three years.

He also asked two sports questions related to children's health; and three environmental questions, regarding illegal tipping, illegal importation of meat products, and whether youth hostels affected by foot and mouth disease would be compensated.

His Parliamentary involvement compares favourably to neighbouring MPs. West Worcestershire MP Sir Michael Spicer (Conserv-ative) asked 40 questions and spoke 17 times, Ludlow MP Matthew Green (Liberal Democrat), asked 58 questions and contributed to 20 debates and Worcester's Mike Foster (Labour) asked 46 questions and was involved in four debates.

Dr Taylor's performance pales, however, when compared to Mid-Worcest-ershire Tory MP Peter Luff, who asked a staggering 357 questions and spoke in Parliament on 42 occasions, and Leominster's Conserv-ative MP Bill Wiggin, who asked 353 questions and spoke 58 times.