text_body: --- DIVISION TITLE ---
  
  That the House sit in private
  
  --- MOTION EFFECT ---
  
  @MP voted aye That the House sit in private for the remainder of the day.
  @MP voted no That the House does not sit in private for the remainder of the day.
  
  The majority of MPs rejected a motion "That the House sit in private". 
  
  Jonathan Lord MP moved: "That the House sit in private", then voted against his own motion. The vote was declared "not decided" because less than 40 MPs voted.
  
  Standing Order[1] No. 163 states once a motion to sit in private has been moved it must be "forthwith put" ie. the speaker or the chair must straight away ask MPs if they agree or not and if necessary proceed to a vote. Standing order 163 also states a motion to sit in private may only be moved once per sitting. The fact the vote was not decided is important, the fact that it was moved, was. 
  
  This motion was moved shortly after Parliament began its day's sitting at 0930, this had the effect of preventing it being used later in the day. If the motion had been moved later in the day and less than 40 MPs had voted in the resulting division under standing order 41 the debate in progress would have been "stood over" ie. stopped, and resumed at the next sitting of the house.   
  
  It is likely that the aim of the motion was to ensure the passage of the Further and Higher Education (Access) Bill was not impeded by a motion to sit in private later that day.  ie. the this motion shows that Jonathan Lord MP was very keen on seeing the Further and Higher Education (Access) Bill become law.
  
  * [1] [http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200910/cmstords/539/539.pdf House of Commons Standing Orders, April 2010]  - PDF
  
  --- COMMENTS AND NOTES ---
  
  (put thoughts and notes for other researchers here)
  