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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Married AMs to stop housing claim | Married AMs to stop housing claim |
| (9 minutes later) | |
| A husband and wife who are Welsh assembly members have said they will stop both claiming second home allowances. | |
| Labour AMs Huw Lewis and Lynne Neagle have claimed more than £44,000 over two years. | Labour AMs Huw Lewis and Lynne Neagle have claimed more than £44,000 over two years. |
| Each have been able to claim up to £13,000 but now say they will claim only a single allowance between them. | Each have been able to claim up to £13,000 but now say they will claim only a single allowance between them. |
| They say they will also repay any profits when they eventually sell their home in the Vale of Glamorgan. | |
| The couple, who represent constituencies in the south Wales valleys, share the home in Penarth and are both able to claim the allowance to conduct their assembly work. | The couple, who represent constituencies in the south Wales valleys, share the home in Penarth and are both able to claim the allowance to conduct their assembly work. |
| In a statement, Mr Lewis, who represents Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney Valley and Ms Neagle, who represents Torfaen in the Gwent valleys, said they had always complied with the letter and spirit of the rules in claiming the allowance. | In a statement, Mr Lewis, who represents Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney Valley and Ms Neagle, who represents Torfaen in the Gwent valleys, said they had always complied with the letter and spirit of the rules in claiming the allowance. |
| But proposed changes covering married couples who sit as MPs will mean they will only be able to claim a single housing allowance. | But proposed changes covering married couples who sit as MPs will mean they will only be able to claim a single housing allowance. |
| "In the light of this we will now arrange to claim the equivalent of only one housing allowance between us," said the pair in a statement. | "In the light of this we will now arrange to claim the equivalent of only one housing allowance between us," said the pair in a statement. |
| They have also said they will repay to the assembly any profit they make from eventually selling their second home. | They have also said they will repay to the assembly any profit they make from eventually selling their second home. |
| An independent review of allowances will publish recommendations to the assembly in July. | An independent review of allowances will publish recommendations to the assembly in July. |