Book Description

This document accompanies the introduction into Parliament of the Financial Services Bill (HC Bill 278, session 2010-12, ISBN 9780215039545 and Explanatory notes Bill 278-EN, ISBN 9780215039132) and explains the Government's final proposals to reform the failed system of financial services regulation. These proposals follow on from extensive consultation, and a draft of the Bill was subject to pre-legislative scrutiny by a Joint Committee (report published as HL Paper 236/HC 1447, ISBN 9780108474064). This document details the main changes the Government is making to the Bill. Chapters cover: Bank of England and Financial Policy Committee; Prudential Regulation Authority; Financial Conduct Authority; regulatory processes and coordination; European and international regulation. Annexes include the Government's responses to the Joint Committee and to the Treasury Committee's inquiries into financial services regulation. The core proposals are: to establish a strong and expert macro-prudential authority, the Financial Policy Committee within the Bank of England to monitor and respond to systemic risks; to transfer responsibility for micro-prudential management of firms that manage complex risks on their balance sheets to a focused new regulator, the Prudential Regulatory Authority; and to provide for a focused new conduct of business regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority, to ensure that business across financial services and markets is conducted in a way that advances the interests of all users and participants. In any future crisis it will be clear that the Chancellor of the Exchequer is in charge. Regulation of consumer credit will be brought within the remit of the Financial Conduct Authority.