REC 2.15 Discipline

In determining whether a UK recognised body has effective arrangements for monitoring and enforcing compliance with its rules (and, in the case of a UK RIE, its settlement arrangements), the FSA may have regard to:

1. (1)

   the UK recognised body's ability to:

   1. (a)

      monitor and oversee the use of its facilities;

   2. (b)

      assess its members' compliance with its rules (and settlement arrangements, where appropriate);

   3. (c)

      assess the significance of any non-compliance;

   4. (d)

      take appropriate disciplinary action against members in breach of its rules (and settlement arrangements, where appropriate);

   5. (e)

      suspend a member's access to its facilities;

   6. (f)

      refer members' or others' conduct to other appropriate authorities for possible action or further investigation;

   7. (g)

      retain authority over a member for at least one year after he has ceased to be a member;

   8. (h)

      where appropriate, enforce its rules (and settlement arrangements, where appropriate) against users (other than members) of its facilities; and

   9. (i)

      take action against suppliers of services to members (for example, warehouses) whose performance or conduct may be critical to ensuring compliance with its rules (and settlement arrangements, where appropriate);

2. (2)

   the position, management and resources of the departments responsible for monitoring and overseeing the use of the UK recognised body'sfacilities and for enforcing compliance with its rules (and settlement arrangements, where appropriate); and

3. (3)

   the arrangements made for the determination of disciplinary matters including the arrangements for disciplinary hearings and the arrangements made for appeals from the UK recognised body's decisions in those matters.

In assessing whether the procedures made by a UK recognised body to investigate complaints about the users of its facilities are satisfactory, the FSA may have regard to:

1. (1)

   whether these procedures include arrangements which enable the UK recognised body to:

   1. (a)

      acknowledge complaints promptly;

   2. (b)

      consider and investigate these complaints objectively, promptly and thoroughly;

   3. (c)

      provide a timely reply to the complainant; and

   4. (d)

      keep adequate records of complaints and investigations;

2. (2)

   the arrangements made to enable a person who is the subject of a complaint to respond in an appropriate manner to that complaint; and

3. (3)

   the documentation of these procedures and the arrangements made to ensure that the existence of these procedures is brought to the attention of persons who might wish to make a complaint.

In assessing whether the arrangements include procedures for the fair, independent and impartial resolution of appeals against decisions of a UK recognised body, the FSA may have regard to at least the following factors:

1. (1)

   the appeal procedures of the UK recognised body, including the composition and roles of any appeal committees or tribunals, and their relationship to the governing body;

2. (2)

   the arrangements made to ensure prompt hearings of appeals from decisions made by the UK recognised body;

3. (3)

   the format, organisation and rules of procedure of those hearings;

4. (4)

   the arrangements made to select the persons to preside over those hearings and to serve as members of any appeal tribunal;

5. (5)

   the provision for determining whether or not such hearings should be in public;

6. (6)

   the provision made to enable an appellant to be aware of the procedure at any appeal hearing and to have the opportunity to prepare and present his case at that hearing;

7. (7)

   the provision made for an appeal tribunal to give an explanation of its decision;

8. (8)

   the provision for publicity for any appeals or for determining whether or not publicity should be given to the outcome of any appeal.

In assessing whether a UK recognised body's arrangements include appropriate provision for ensuring the application of any financial penalties in ways described in the recognition requirement, the FSA may have regard to:

1. (1)

   the UK recognised body's policy regarding the application of financial penalties;

2. (2)

   the arrangements made for applying that policy in individual cases;

but the FSA does not consider that it is necessary for UK recognised bodies to follow any specific policy in order to meet this recognition requirement.