Related provisions for SUP 11.7.1
Frequently asked questions about allocation of functions in SYSC 4.4.5 R
Question |
Answer |
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1 |
Does an individual to whom a function is allocated under SYSC 4.4.5 R need to be an approved person or a certification employee8? |
An individual to whom a function is allocated under SYSC 4.4.5 R will be performing the apportionment and oversight function (CF 8, see SUP 10A.7.1 R17) and an application must be made under section 59 of the Act for approval of the individual before the function is performed. There are exceptions from this in SUP 10A.117 (Approved persons - Application). The apportionment and oversight function does not apply to a relevant authorised person. However, a person performing the role in SYSC 4.4.5R will fall into the certification regime in SYSC 5.2 (Certification Regime), unless the person performing it is an approved person. A person performing the role in SYSC 4.4.5R may be an approved person because of another role that they perform (such as being an executive director).8 1717 |
2 |
If the allocation is to more than one individual, can they perform the functions, or aspects of the functions, separately? |
If the functions are allocated to joint chief executives under SYSC 4.4.5 R, column 2, they are expected to act jointly. If the functions are allocated to an individual under SYSC 4.4.5 R, column 2, in addition to individuals under SYSC 4.4.5 R, column 3, the former may normally be expected to perform a leading role in relation to the functions that reflects his position. Otherwise, yes. |
3 |
What is meant by "appropriately allocate" in this context? |
The allocation of functions should be compatible with delivering compliance with Principle 3, SYSC 4.4.3 R and SYSC 4.1.1 R. The appropriate regulator considers that allocation to one or two individuals is likely to be appropriate for most firms. |
4 |
If a committee of management governs a firm or group, can the functions be allocated to every member of that committee? |
Yes, as long as the allocation remains appropriate (see Question 3). If the firm also has an individual as chief executive, then the functions must be allocated to that individual as well under SYSC 4.4.5 R, column 2 (see Question 7). |
5 |
Does the definition of chief executive include the possessor of equivalent responsibilities with another title, such as a managing director or managing partner? |
Yes. |
6 |
Is it possible for a firm to have more than one individual as its chief executive? |
Although unusual, some firms may wish the responsibility of a chief executive to be held jointly by more than one individual. In that case, each of them will be a chief executive and the functions must be allocated to all of them under SYSC 4.4.5 R, column 2 (see also Questions 2 and 7). |
7 |
If a firm has an individual as chief executive, must the functions be allocated to that individual? |
Normally, yes, under SYSC 4.4.5 R, column 2. But if the firm is a body corporate and a member of a group, the functions may, instead of being allocated to the firm'schief executive, be allocated to a director or senior manager from the group responsible for the overall management of the group or of a relevant group division, so long as this is appropriate (see Question 3). Such individuals may nevertheless require approval under section 59 (see Question 1). If the firm chooses to allocate the functions to a director or senior manager responsible for the overall management of a relevant group division, the FSA would expect that individual to be of a seniority equivalent to or greater than a chief executive of the firm for the allocation to be appropriate. See also Question 14. |
8 |
If a firm has a chief executive, can the functions be allocated to other individuals in addition to the chief executive? |
Yes. SYSC 4.4.5 R, column 3, permits a firm to allocate the functions, additionally, to the firm's (or where applicable the group's) directors and senior managers as long as this is appropriate (see Question 3). |
9 |
What if a firm does not have a chief executive? |
Normally, the functions must be allocated to one or more individuals selected from the firm's (or where applicable the group's) directors and senior managers under SYSC 4.4.5 R, column 3. But if the firm: (1) is a body corporate and a member of a group; and (2) the group has a director or senior manager responsible for the overall management of the group or of a relevant group division; then the functions must be allocated to that individual (together, optionally, with individuals from column 3 if appropriate) under SYSC 4.4.5 R, column 2. |
10 |
What do you mean by "group division within which some or all of the firm's regulated activities fall"? |
A "division" in this context should be interpreted by reference to geographical operations, product lines or any other method by which the group's business is divided. If the firm's regulated activities fall within more than one division and the firm does not wish to allocate the functions to its chief executive, the allocation must, under SYSC 4.4.5 R, be to: (1) a director or senior manager responsible for the overall management of the group; or (2) a director or senior manager responsible for the overall management of one of those divisions; together, optionally, with individuals from column 3 if appropriate. (See also Questions 7 and 9.) |
11 |
How does the requirement to allocate the functions in SYSC 4.4.5 R apply to an overseas firm which is not an incoming EEA firm, incoming Treaty firm or UCITS qualifier? |
The firm must appropriately allocate those functions to one or more individuals, in accordance with SYSC 4.4.5 R, but: (1) The responsibilities that must be apportioned and the systems and controls that must be overseen are those relating to activities carried on from a UK establishment with certain exceptions (see SYSC 1 Annex 1.1.8R). Note that SYSC 1 Annex 1.1.10R does not extend the territorial scope of SYSC 4.4 for an overseas firm. (2) The chief executive of an overseas firm is the person responsible for the conduct of the firm's business within the United Kingdom (see the definition of "chief executive"). This might, for example, be the manager of the firm'sUK establishment, or it might be the chief executive of the firm as a whole, if he has that responsibility. The apportionment and oversight function applies to such a firm, unless it falls within a particular exception from the approved persons regime (see Question 1). |
12 |
How does the requirement to allocate the functions in SYSC 4.4.5 R apply to an incoming EEA firm or incoming Treaty firm? |
SYSC 1 Annex 1.1.1R(2) and SYSC 1 Annex 1.1.8R restrict the application of SYSC 4.4.5 R for such a firm. Accordingly: (1) Such a firm is not required to allocate the function of dealing with apportionment in SYSC 4.4.5R (1). (2) Such a firm is required to allocate the function of oversight in SYSC 4.4.5R (2). However, the systems and controls that must be overseen are those relating to matters which the appropriate regulator, as Host State regulator, is entitled to regulate (there is guidance on this in SUP 13A Annex 2). Those are primarily, but not exclusively, the systems and controls relating to the conduct of the firm's activities carried on from its UK branch. (3) Such a firm need not allocate the function of oversight to its chief executive; it must allocate it to one or more directors and senior managers of the firm or the firm'sgroup under SYSC 4.4.5 R, row (2). (4) An incoming EEA firm which has provision only for cross border services is not required to allocate either function if it does not carry on regulated activities in the United Kingdom; for example if they fall within the overseas persons exclusions in article 72 of the Regulated Activities Order. See also Questions 1 and 15. |
13 |
What about a firm that is a partnership or a limited liability partnership? |
The appropriate regulator envisages that most if not all partners or members will be either directors or senior managers, but this will depend on the constitution of the partnership (particularly in the case of a limited partnership) or limited liability partnership. A partnership or limited liability partnership may also have a chief executive (see Question 5). A limited liability partnership is a body corporate and, if a member of a group, will fall within SYSC 4.4.5 R, row (1) or (2). |
14 |
What if generally accepted principles of good corporate governance recommend that the chief executive should not be involved in an aspect of corporate governance? |
The Note to SYSC 4.4.5 R provides that the chief executive or other executive director or senior manager need not be involved in such circumstances. For example, the UK Corporate Governance Code5 recommends that the board of a listed company should establish an audit committee of independent,9 non-executive directors to be responsible (among other things) for overseeing the effectiveness9 of the audit process and the objectivity and independence of the external auditor9. That aspect of the oversight function may therefore be allocated to the members of such a committee without involving the chief executive. Such individuals may require approval under section 59 in relation to that function (see Question 1). 5 |
15 |
What about incoming electronic commerce activities carried on from an establishment in another EEA State with or for a person in the United Kingdom? |
SYSC does not apply to an incoming ECA provider acting as such. |
Schedule to the Recognition Requirements Regulations, paragraph 3
2(1) |
The [UK RIE] must ensure that the systems and controls used in the performance of its [relevant functions] are adequate, and appropriate for the scale and nature of its business. |
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(2) |
Sub-paragraph (1) applies in particular to systems and controls concerning - |
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(a) |
the transmission of information; |
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(b) |
the assessment, mitigation and management of risks to the performance of the [UK RIE'srelevant functions]; |
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(c) |
the effecting and monitoring of transactions on the [UK RIE]; |
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(ca) |
the technical operation of the [UK RIE], including contingency arrangements for disruption to its facilities; |
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(d) |
the operation of the arrangements mentioned in paragraph 4(2)(d); and |
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(e) |
(where relevant) the safeguarding and administration of assets belonging to users of the [UK RIE's] facilities. |
47The applicable data items, reporting frequencies and submission deadlines referred to in SUP 16.12.4 R are set out in the table below. Reporting frequencies are calculated from a firm'saccounting reference date, unless indicated otherwise. The due dates are the last day of the periods given in the table below following the relevant reporting frequency period.
Description of data item |
Data item (note 1) |
Frequency |
Submission deadline |
|
Annual revenue from credit-related regulated activities up to and including £5 million (note 2) |
Annual revenue from credit-related regulated activities over £5 million |
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Financial data (note 3) |
CCR001 |
Annually |
Half yearly |
30 business days |
Volumes (note 4) |
CCR002 |
Annually |
Half yearly |
30 business days |
Lenders (note 5) |
CCR003 |
Annually |
Half yearly |
30 business days |
Debt management (note 6) |
CCR004 |
Annually |
Half yearly |
30 business days |
Client Money & Assets (note 7) |
CCR005 |
Annually |
Half yearly |
30 business days |
Debt collection (note 8) |
CCR006 |
Annually |
Half yearly |
30 business days |
Key data (note 9) |
CCR007 |
Annually |
Annually |
30 business days56 |
56Credit broking websites (note 10) |
60 | 60 | [deleted]73 |
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Note 1 |
When submitting the required data item, a firm must use the format of the data item set out in SUP 16 Annex 38A50. Guidance notes for the completion of the data items is set out in SUP 16 Annex 38B50. |
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Note 2 |
References to revenue in SUP 16.12.29C R in relation to any firm do not include the amount of any repayment of any credit provided by that firm as lender. |
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Note 3 |
(a) Subject to (b) to (d) below, this data item applies to all credit firms. (b) This data item does not apply to a firm if the only credit-related regulated activity for which it has permission is operating an electronic system in relation to lending. (c) This data item does not apply to a firm required to submit a Balance Sheet, Income Statement or Capital Adequacy data item from a RAG other than RAG 12. (d) This data item does not apply to a firm with limited permission unless it is a not-for-profit debt advice body and at any point in the last 12 months has held £1 million or more in client money or as the case may be, projects that it will hold £1million or more in client money in the next 12 months. |
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Note 4 |
(a) Subject to (b) below, this data item applies to all credit firms. (b) This data item does not apply to a firm with limited permission unless it is a not-for-profit debt advice body and at any point in the last 12 months has held £1 million or more in client money or as the case may be, projects that it will hold £1million or more in client money in the next 12 months. |
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Note 5 |
This data item applies to all firms with permission for entering into a regulated credit agreement as lender or exercising, or having the right to exercise, the lender's rights and duties under a regulated credit agreement. |
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Note 6 |
(a) Subject to (b) to (d) below, this data item applies to a debt management firm and to a not-for-profit debt advice body that at any point in the last 12 months has held £1 million or more in client money or, as the case may be, projects that it will hold £1million or more in client money in the next 12 months. (b) This data item does not apply to a firm with limited permission other than a not-for-profit debt advice body within (a). (c) This data item does not apply to a firm required to submit a Capital Adequacy data item from a RAG other than RAG 12, or under SUP 16.13, unless (d) applies (d) Where a firm is required to submit a Capital Adequacy data item from a RAG other than RAG 12 or under SUP 16.13 but the firm's highest capital requirement derives from its activity under RAG 12, the firm should submit both CCR004 and the Capital Adequacy data item required from the RAG other than RAG 12 or SUP 16.13. |
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Note 7 |
This data item applies to a CASS debt management firm, unless the firm is subject to a requirement imposed under section 55L of the Act stating that it must not hold client money, or such a requirement to the same effect76. |
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Note 8 |
This data item applies to a firm with permission to carry on debt collecting or operating an electronic system in relation to lending. |
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note 9 |
(a) Subject to (b) and (c) below, this data item applies to a firm that has limited permission. (b) This data item does not apply to an authorised professional firm that is a CASS debt management firm. Such a firm is instead required to submit the other data items in SUP 16.12.29C R as appropriate. (c) This data item does not apply to a not-for-profit debt advice body that at any point in the last 12 months has held £1 million or more in client money or, as the case may be, projects that it will hold £1million or more in client money in the next 12 months. Such a not-for-profit debt advice body is instead required to submit data items CCR001, CCR002, CCR004 and CCR005.56 |
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56Note 10 |
[deleted]73 6868 |
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60Note 11 |
[deleted]73 |