The Assembly has backed a unionist motion calling on the Northern Secretary to address pension provision for former part-time officers of the RUC.
Sinn Féin voted against the proposal, but the SDLP and Alliance backed the Ulster Unionist proposal and DUP amendment.
This was a proposal for members of the police reserve to receive a one-off payment in respect of their time served. Proposing, David McNarry urged the incoming Northern Secretary, expected to be named when Gordon Brown announces the new British cabinet this week, to address a question which had been "lamentably overlooked".
All that was sought, he said, was "dignity and integrity for those seeking to have their case dealt with since 2001". He criticised the Northern Ireland Office failure to record how many part-timers were sent out on duty. "It was all right to send part-timers out on duty but not to keep a record of who was on duty."
Suggesting the alternative of a one-off payment, West Tyrone DUP member Thomas Buchanan praised the role played by former part-time officers and accused the British government of using the RUC Reserve "to provide policing on the cheap for many years".
Sinn Féin representatives criticised the proposal. Newry and Armagh member Mickey Brady asked why there was no similar clamour for "proper pension provision for ordinary people".
His Upper Bann colleague John O'Dowd, leader of the Sinn Féin Assembly group, suggested the motion was brought before the house by Ulster Unionists to promote dissension and to cast themselves as a form of opposition inside the Executive.
He criticised the actions of many former officers: "How has anyone the brass neck to come into the chamber and tell us that the RUC protected us all from terrorism?" he asked, quoting from the findings of Lord (John) Stevens who investigated collusion between the RUC and loyalist paramilitaries.
West Belfast SDLP member Alex Attwood cited the "important principle" of equal provision for part-time and full-time workers. "Over years of conflict the RUC Reserve suffered disproportionately," he said. "The number of part-time officers injured and killed is far in excess of any other section of the force. They were locally recruited, lived locally, were targeted locally and were killed locally."
Junior Minister Ian Paisley jnr said a "deserving case" had been made and he promised members his Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister would lobby the Northern Secretary.
Alliance leader David Ford criticised as "ridiculous" the sending of seven Ministers to promote Northern Ireland at the 41st Smithsonian Festival in Washington DC. The event is also hosting trade and cultural delegations from Belfast."Only the enterprise and culture ministers can rightly say they should be attending - with possibly the First and Deputy First Ministers - if they can help maximise the impact of the festival."