text_body: --- DIVISION TITLE ---
  
  National Policy Statements - Parliamentary debate following committee report - rejected
  
  --- MOTION EFFECT ---
  
  The majority of MPs voted against inserting provisions into the procedure for appointing a select committee to review a National Policy Statement for a debate and vote on the floor of the House.
  
  The procedure, as proposed and eventually passed, merely arranges for a Select Committee to take evidence and write a report about such a statement.  
  
  The amendment, which was rejected, would have inserted the following paragraphs into the rules.[1]
  
  * If the committee is in favour of the proposed national policy statement, and a motion is made by the Government that effect, then there will be a 90 minute debate on the subject.
  
  * If the committee recommends against a proposed national policy statement, then it cannot be approved unless the House has voted to disagree with the committee and then holds a three hour debate on the subject.
  
  The rules, which merely require nothing more than for a committee to convene and discuss the proposed National Policy Statement, were passed in the next vote.[2]
  
  * [1] [http://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2009-05-20a.1532.0#g1565.1 John McDonnell MP], House of Commons, 20 May 2009
  * [2] [http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/division.php?date=2009-05-20&number=139 National Policy Statements - Parliamentary committee writes a report], House of Commons Division, 20 May 2009
  --- COMMENTS AND NOTES ---
  
  (put thoughts and notes for other researchers here)
  