The Conservative Party seems set to force a division among MPs at Westminster over the Patten Commission's proposal to abolish the title of the Royal Ulster Constabulary.
The three Conservative members of the standing committee on the Police (Northern Ireland) Bill - Mr John M. Taylor, Mr Dominic Grieve and Mr Andrew Hunter - have tabled amendments calling for the explicit retention of "the Royal Ulster Constabulary" as part of the full title of Northern Ireland's new police service.
The Conservative proposal - which is understood to have the full backing of Mr Andrew Mackay, the shadow Northern Ireland Secretary - goes further than the proposed new clause currently standing in the name of Mr Ken Maginnis MP, the Ulster Unionist Party's principal spokesman on the Bill.
The key Conservative amendments would change the existing Part 1, Clause 2 of the Bill. Where the Bill at present says "The (Policing) Board shall secure the maintenance of the police force in Northern Ireland," the Conservatives propose adding "which shall consist of (a) the Royal Ulster Constabulary; and (b) the Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve."
At the end of this section, the Conservative amendment would then add:
"(1A) The police force, traffic wardens and the police service staff of the Policing Board shall form a single service which shall be known as the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
"(1B) For all working and operational purposes, the police force shall be known as the Police Service of Northern Ireland - Royal Ulster Constabulary."
The Conservatives have also tabled a series of amendments seeking to bar from membership of the Policing Board or District Police Partnerships any person convicted at any time of a scheduled offence under the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Acts, or who has been convicted in Northern Ireland or elsewhere of any offence carrying a sentence of imprisonment.
The standing committee on the Bill resumes this morning.