WIREDGOV

The Financial Services Authority's (FSA) enhanced strategy for small firms will kick off in Northern Ireland in March with the first of a rolling programme of assessments that will cover 11,300 retail intermediaries in the next three years.

The new measures were first announced last autumn by Hector Sants, FSA Chief Executive, and they will test the progress being made by financial advisers, mortgage intermediaries and general insurance brokers, towards Treating Customers Fairly (TCF). A progress report last year found that only 41% of small firms were meeting the TCF deadlines.

Designed to increase supervision of and contact with small firms, the strategy combines support for intermediaries embracing TCF outcomes with a tough approach for those who are not. It will see a new style of regional roadshow closely followed by structured visits or telephone interviews in the same area. The FSA plans to assess 3,000 small firms this year, stepping up to 4,000 a year from 2009. Each year these will be followed up with full visits to around a quarter of those firms which raised most concern during assessment.

Stephen Bland, Director of Small Firms at the FSA, said:

"TCF is an existing regulatory priority, but the deadline for firms to prove to us, and to themselves, that they are consistently treating their customers fairly is fast approaching - December 2008.

"It is imperative that firms engage with TCF and drive up standards. The new style roadshows together with the assessments will help accelerate this process. The measures will have an additional cost to intermediaries, but this should be outweighed by their positive effect on both consumer protection and confidence in the financial services industry.”

Mark Rothery, Chairman of the Smaller Businesses Practitioner Panel, said:

"We wholeheartedly welcome the FSA's package of measures. Whilst these efforts will not come without some additional cost, this is far from being a false economy - in fact, the Panel sees it as something of a win/win proposition. This strategy will incentivise those smaller firms motivated to comply; and act as a meaningful deterrent to the laggards that either seek to do otherwise or who try to fly under the FSA's radar."

The programme of assessments for small firms is part of the FSA's ongoing supervision strategy and will extend beyond the December 2008 TCF deadline.

In addition to the new measures for small firms, the Small Firms Division and FSA Contact Centres, which includes the Firm Contact Centre, are joining together on 1 February. This will give a more consistent and streamlined service to small firms.

Notes to editors

1. Hector Sants announced the new measures to help small firms at a Forum held at the FSA's offices in Edinburgh on Tuesday 2 October 2007.
2. The FSA is committed to providing help to small firms and making the FSA easier to do business with. It has already introduced targeted information and resources for small firms as part of this work which includes small firms application packs, a single invoice for all fees, payments by instalments, e-learning packages, a more targeted web pages for small firms, roadshows, surgeries and improvements to the Firm Contact Centre (0845 606 6699).
3. The Smaller Businesses Practitioner Panel (SBPP) issued a press release concerning the enhanced strategy on Tuesday 2 October 2007. SBPP press enquiries can be directed to Chris Cherlin, Secretary to the SBPP, on 020 7066 9534, 07841 643212 or email Chris.Cherlin@fsa.gov.uk
4. The FSA regulates the financial services industry and has four objectives under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000: maintaining market confidence; promoting public understanding of the financial system; securing the appropriate degree of protection for consumers; and fighting financial crime.
5. The FSA aims to promote efficient, orderly and fair markets, help retail consumers achieve a fair deal and improve its business capability and effectiveness.