Tag Archives: competition
CMA to continue insurance price comparison website investigation
The CMA has confirmed that it has decided to continue the investigation into a price comparison website’s (PCW) use of certain ‘most favoured nation’ clauses in its contracts with home insurance providers. In the context of PCWs, ‘most favoured nation’ clauses require the provider of a product that wishes to offer their product on the […]
PRA responds to Treasury Committee’s inquiry into Solvency 2
PRA has published a report in response to the Treasury Committee’s inquiry into Solvency 2. The response is split into four parts: Part 1: Overview of the UK insurance industry and the rationale for the prudential regulation of insurers. Part 2: Solvency 2 and the UK insurance sector, including the development of Solvency 2. Part 3: […]
BoE speech on looking out for the policyholder
Sam Woods, Deputy Governor, Prudential Regulation and Chief Executive Officer of PRA delivered a speech entitled ‘Looking out for the policyholder’ at the ABI’s annual conference. The speech focused on the policyholder, competition and competitiveness and Solvency 2 reform. With regard to PRA’s secondary objective to facilitate effective competition, Mr Woods provided practical examples of steps […]
Increase in limit on Building Societies’ maximum currency transaction size
Treasury has published the Building Societies (Restricted Transactions) (Amendment to the Limit on the Trade in Currencies) Order 2017. This Order increases the limit set out in section 9A of the Building Societies Act 1997 at which building societies can convert currency from £100,000 to £3 million, in order to better reflect the nature and […]
Digital comparison tools: government responds to CMA market study
Earlier this year, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) published the results of a market study into the use of digital comparison tools in a number of sectors, including car insurance, home insurance and credit cards. The findings of the market study included strong concern about the use of ‘most favoured nation’ clauses, which can […]
Payment Services Regulator requires change to Direct Debit rules regarding switching Facilities Management providers
The Payment Services Regulator (PSR) has published its decision to require the operator of the Bacs payment system, of which the Direct Debit scheme is a part, to change its rules to help clients switch Facilities Management (FM) service providers. Direct Debit FM service providers enable organisations which aren’t specifically approved or sponsored as Bacs […]
FCA sets out future approach to authorisation and competition
FCA has outlined its approach to authorisation and to competition. It notes it is one of the few financial regulators in the world with an objective that includes promoting competition. It wants to understand, in relation to authorisations: whether applicants clearly understand how to meet the Threshold Conditions – and, if not, how FCA could […]
FCA issues first statement of objection to asset managers
FCA has issued a statement of objections to 4 asset managers who it believes may have acted in breach of competition law. The statement (which has not been published) is the first time FCA has brought a case using its competition enforcement powers. It says that Artemis Investment Management LLP, Hargreave Hale Ltd, Newton Investment […]
CMA investigation in the investment consultancy services market
Following the referral of the investment consultancy services market by the FCA to the CMA earlier this year, the CMA is now entering the phase of further information gathering and has updated its investigations page with the responses to issues statement received from the industry. The referral by the FCA followed its Asset Management Market […]
CMA publishes decision on payment systems merger
CMA has published the full text of its decision on whether the anticipated merger of Bacs Limited, FPS Limited, and C&CC Limited would result in a substantial lessening of competition and would therefore be referred under section 33(1) of the Enterprise Act 2002. CMA has concluded that the Merger does not raise competition concerns as there […]