text_body: --- DIVISION TITLE ---
  
  Opposition Day - Housing Benefit - Penalty for Excess Bedrooms - Closure of Loophole
  
  --- MOTION EFFECT ---
  
  The majority of MPs voted to correct a mistake in the law would have exempted some tenants in continuous receipt of housing benefit since at least 1 January 1996 and who continued to occupy the same dwelling from the penalties to be introduced for those on housing benefit deemed to have an excess number of bedrooms. 
  
  When the law on the Housing Benefit penalties for those with excess bedrooms came in it was not the intent of the policy to include the exemption. The exemption existed as a result of transitional protections introduced when changes to housing benefit took place in 1996.[1]
  
  The text of the rejected motion was
  :That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, praying that the [http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/212/contents/made Housing Benefit (Transitional Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 (S.I., 2014, No. 212)], dated 4 February 2014, a copy of which was laid before this House on 5 February, be annulled.
  
  ==
  
  * [1] [http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/212/memorandum/contents Explanatory memorandum to the  Housing Benefit (Transitional Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations 2014 (S.I., 2014, No. 212)]
  --- COMMENTS AND NOTES ---
  
  (put thoughts and notes for other researchers here)
  