Chapter 1: The Regulatory Environment Flashcards
When did the FSMA 2000 come into effect?
2001
What two regulatory bodies did the Financial Services Act 2012 create?
- Financial conduct Authority (FCA)
- Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA)
What ammendment to the FSMA formed the FCA and PRA? (What act)
Financial Services Act 2012
What act established the Financial Ombudsman Services (FOS)
Finanical Services and Markets Act 2000
What act established the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS)
Finanical Services and Markets Act 2000
What 5 things did the FSMA 2000 establish?
- Regulators (FCA & PRA)
- Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS)
- Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS)
- Penalities (for market abuse)
- UK Listing Regime (UK Listing Authority, UKLA)
What is the UK Listing Authority (UKLA) now reffered to as?
FCA Primary Market Function
What is the FCA responsible for?
The FCA is solely responsible for the authorisation and supervision of all financial institutions not
regulated by the PRA, including intermediaries and investment exchanges.
What role does the FCA play?
- Protecting consumers
- Industry Stability
- Promoting Healthy Competition amoungst Financial Service Providers
What powers does the FCA have?
It has inherited the FSA’s powers to investigate and prosecute insider dealing and market abuse.
The FCA have taken ovrr the UKLA
What is general prohibition (Section 19 of FSMA)
Conducting regulated activty in the UK without being authorised to do so or you are an exempt person.
Maximium sentence of 2 years. and/or unlimited fine, and any agreements made are unenforcable.
What is an ‘Approved Person’
An ‘Approved Person’ is an individual that has been approved by the PRA and/or FCA to perform a role, or carry out an activity, the nature of which requires regulatory approval.
What is an ‘Authorised Person’
A firm that have been authorised by the PRA and/or FCA to carry out one
or more regulated activities.
What is the ‘Senior Managers & Certification Regime (SM&CR)’ ?
- Individual accountability regime.
- Individuals performing roles that are designated as ‘Senior Management Functions (SMFs)’ are required to apply for and obtain regulatory approval from the PRA and/or FCA.
Who grants permission to become an exempt person?
HM Treasury
Who are the exempt persons?
- Appointed Representatives of authorised persons.
- Recognised Investment Exchanges (RIEs)
- Recognised Clearing Houses (RCHs)
- BOE and other central banks
- Operators of Multilateral Trading Systems, exercising certain rights
A person cannot be both authorised and exempt at the same time
What does having a ‘Part 4A Permission’ grant you?
The ability to carry out regulated activites, as you are now considered to be an authorised person .
Who set up the PRA and who are they accountable to?
They were initially set up as a subsidary of the BoE but as of the Financial Services Act of 2016, they are now part of the BoE and is directly accountable to them.
BoE - Bank of England
Is the FCA a public company?
True or False
Flase.
They are a private company that have been given special dispensation allowing it to not use the word ‘limited’ as part of its name.
What year was the FCA and PRA formed and what act prompted this?
2012, following from the Financial Services Act 2012
What is the PRAs responsibility?
Prudential regulation of:
1. Banks
2. Building Societies
3. Credit Unions
4. Insurers
5. Major Invesment Firms
All whilst promoting the saftey and soundness of these firms due tp these firmspotentially causing harm to the UK financial system.
A.K.A. Regulation of the big dogs
How are the FCA and PRA funded?
Entirely from the fees paid by the firms they regulate.
The FCA are accountable to the BoE?
Ture or False
False.
They are accountable to the UK Government
The FCA are accountable to the UK government?
True or False
True.
They are accountable via the HM Treasury (HMT).
The PRA is accountable to the UK Government?
True or False
False. They are only accountable to the BoE.
What does the FPC focus on?
The finanical policy committe focuses on “macroeconomic and financial
issues that may threaten the long-term growth prospects of the UK economy.”
It is an official committee of the BoE
What is the HM Treasury responsable for?
For the UK’s financial system, including the institutional structure and the legislation that governs it.
The Treasury has the power to appoint or dismiss the FCA’s board and Chairperson.
True/False
True.
How often does the FCA have to submit a report to the HM Treasury?
Once a year.
This report is accompanied by another report but from the FCA’s non-executive directors and is laid before Parliament.
What are the three main powers of the HM Treasury?
- Appoint or Dismiss the FCA’s board and Chairpersons
- Make the FCA report to them once a year.
- To investigate the FCA’s operations.
What are the 2 core purposes the BoE has?
- Monetary Stability
- Financial Stability
What is meant by Monetary Stability?
Stable Prices and Confidence in the Currency
What is meant by Financial Stability?
Detecting and reducing threats to the stability of the financial system as a
whole.
This is the area in which the PRA operates.
What is the TPR
The Pensions Regulator: They protect the UK’s Workplace Pension and ensures scheme members’ rights are safeguarded through regulation monitoring employers, trustees, pension specialists and business advisors.
What are the four types of primary occupational pension schemes?
1. Employer Contribution - both employee and employer make contributions
2. Non-Contributory - employers solely make the contributions
3. Defined Contribtuion (DC) - set amount of payment is made to the scheme and there is no guarantee of the final ‘pot’ value.
4. Defined Benefit (DB) - final salary schemes, where scheme members are guaranteed to receive x% amount of the final salary
What does the Pensions Act of 2008 require all UK Employers to do?
To put certain staff into a workplace pension scheme and contribute towards it.
Should they not do this, the will be fined and any missed payments will need to be back dated to the employee. If still not paid, the TPR will take the employer to court to recover the debt.
What act requires all employers to put certain staff into a workplace pension scheme and contribute towards it?
The Pensions Act of 2008
What are the 8 CISI Code of Conduct Principles
PCCRCARS
1. Personal Accountability
2. Client Focus
3. Conflict of Interest
4. Respect for Market Partners
5. Continue to Learn
6. Aware Capabilities
7. Respect Others and the Environment
8. Speak Up and Listen Up
Profits Can Continually Reward CARS
What is the CRA?
The Consumer Rights Act of 2015
* This gives the FCA statutory power to challenge unfair terms in financial service consumer contracts. The FCA can force firms to remove unfair terms in future contracts and amend current ones.
The FCA can apply for an injuction to prevent a firm from using or enforcing a term in their contract.
This act replaced the UTCCRs.