Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (c. 8)

[F1PART 16AU.K.Consumer protection and competition

Textual Amendments

F1Pt. 16A inserted (24.1.2013 for specified purposes, 1.4.2013 in so far as not already in force) by Financial Services Act 2012 (c. 21), ss. 43, 122(3) (with Sch. 20); S.I. 2013/113, art. 2(1)(b)(c), Sch. Pts. 2, 3; S.I. 2013/423, art. 3, Sch.

CompetitionU.K.

234HPower of FCA to make request to [F2Competition and Markets Authority] U.K.

(1)The FCA may ask [F3Competition and Markets Authority (“the CMA”)] to consider whether a feature, or combination of features, of a market in the United Kingdom for financial services may prevent, restrict or distort competition in connection with the supply or acquisition of any financial services in the United Kingdom or a part of the United Kingdom.

[F4(1A)In a case where the feature or each of the features concerned is—

(a)any conduct (whether or not in the market concerned) of one or more than one person who supplies or acquires goods or services in the market concerned, or

(b)any conduct relating to the market concerned of customers of any person who supplies or acquires goods or services,

a request under subsection (1) may be made in relation to more than one market in the United Kingdom for financial services.]

(2)The [F5CMA] must, within 90 days after the day on which it receives the request, publish a response stating how it proposes to deal with the request and in particular—

(a)whether it has decided to take any action, or to take no action, in response to the request, and

(b)if it has decided to take action, what action it proposes to take.

(3)The response must state the [F5CMA]'s reasons for its proposals.

(4)The Treasury may by order amend subsection (2) by substituting any period for the period for the time being specified there.

(5)In this section—

(a)“market in the United Kingdom” has the meaning given in section 140A(1);

(b)the reference to a feature of a market in the United Kingdom for financial services has a meaning corresponding to that which a reference to a feature of a market in the United Kingdom for goods and services has (by virtue of section 140A(3)) for the purposes of Chapter 4 of Part 9A.]

Textual Amendments

F2Words in s. 234H heading substituted (1.4.2014) by The Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 (Competition) (Consequential, Transitional and Saving Provisions) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/892), art. 1(1), Sch. 1 para. 128(5) (with art. 3)

F3Words in s. 234H(1) substituted (1.4.2014) by The Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 (Competition) (Consequential, Transitional and Saving Provisions) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/892), art. 1(1), Sch. 1 para. 128(2) (with art. 3)

F4S. 234H(1A) inserted (1.4.2014) by The Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 (Competition) (Consequential, Transitional and Saving Provisions) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/892), art. 1(1), Sch. 1 para. 128(3) (with art. 3)

F5Word in s. 234H(2)(3) substituted (1.4.2014) by The Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 (Competition) (Consequential, Transitional and Saving Provisions) Order 2014 (S.I. 2014/892), art. 1(1), Sch. 1 para. 128(4) (with art. 3)

[F6234IThe FCA's functions under Part 4 of the Enterprise Act 2002U.K.

(1)The functions to which this subsection applies (“the concurrent functions”) are to be concurrent functions of the FCA and the Competition and Markets Authority (referred to in this Part as “the CMA”).

(2)Subsection (1) applies to the functions of the CMA under Part 4 of the Enterprise Act 2002 (market investigations), so far as those functions—

(a)are exercisable by the CMA Board (within the meaning of Schedule 4 to the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013), and

(b)relate to the provision of financial services.

(3)But subsection (1) does not apply to functions under the following sections of the Enterprise Act 2002—

section 166 (duty to maintain register of undertakings and orders);
section 171 (duty to publish guidance).

(4)So far as is necessary for the purposes of, or in connection with, subsections (1) and (2)—

(a)references in Part 4 of the Enterprise Act 2002 to the CMA (including references in provisions of that Act applied by that Part) are to be read as including references to the FCA, and

(b)references in that Part to section 5 of that Act are to be read as including references to section 234M of this Act.

(5)But subsection (4) does not apply—

(a)in relation to section 166 or 171 of that Act, or

(b)where the context otherwise requires.

(6)Section 130A of the Enterprise Act 2002 has effect in relation to the FCA by virtue of subsections (1) and (2) as if—

(a)in subsection (2)(a) of that section, the reference to the acquisition or supply of goods or services of one or more than one description in the United Kingdom were a reference to the acquisition or provision in the United Kingdom of financial services, and

(b)in subsection (2)(b) of that section, the reference to the extent to which steps can and should be taken were a reference to the extent to which steps that might include steps under Part 4 of that Act can and should be taken.

(7)Before the CMA or the FCA first exercises any of the concurrent functions in relation to any matter, it must consult the other.

(8)Neither the CMA nor the FCA may exercise any of the concurrent functions in relation to any matter if any of those functions have been exercised in relation to that matter by the other.

Textual Amendments

F6Ss. 234I-234O inserted (1.11.2014 for the insertion of ss. 234J, 234M for specified purposes and for the insertion of ss. 234N, 234O) by Financial Services (Banking Reform) Act 2013 (c. 33), s. 148(5), Sch. 8 para. 3; S.I. 2014/2458, art. 2(b)(aa)(i)

234JThe FCA's functions under the Competition Act 1998U.K.

(1)The functions to which this subsection applies are to be concurrent functions of the FCA and the CMA.

(2)Subsection (1) applies to the functions of the CMA under the provisions of Part 1 of the Competition Act 1998, so far as relating to any of the following that relate to the provision of financial services—

(a)agreements, decisions or concerted practices of the kind mentioned in section 2(1) of that Act,

(b)conduct of the kind mentioned in section 18(1) of that Act,

(c)agreements, decisions or concerted practices of the kind mentioned in Article 101(1) of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and

(d)conduct which amounts to abuse of the kind mentioned in Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union.

(3)But subsection (1) does not apply to functions under the following provisions of that Act—

section 31D(1) to (6) (duty to publish guidance);
section 38(1) to (6) (duty to publish guidance about penalties);
section 40B(1) to (4) (duty to publish statement of policy on penalties);
section 51 (rules).

(4)So far as necessary for the purposes of, or in connection with, the provisions of subsections (1) and (2), references to the CMA in Part 1 of the Competition Act 1998 are to be read as including references to the FCA.

(5)But subsection (4) does not apply—

(a)in relation to sections 31D(1) to (6), 38(1) to (6), 40B(1) to (4), 51, 52(6) and (8) and 54 of that Act, or

(b)where the context otherwise requires.

Textual Amendments

234KDuty to consider exercise of powers under Competition Act 1998U.K.

(1)Before exercising a power listed in subsection (3), the FCA must consider whether it would be more appropriate to proceed under the Competition Act 1998.

(2)The FCA must not exercise such a power if it considers that it would be more appropriate to proceed under the Competition Act 1998.

(3)Those powers are—

(a)the power under section 55J(2) to vary or cancel a Part 4A permission;

(b)the power under section 55L to impose a requirement on an authorised person with a Part 4A permission, or to vary a requirement imposed under that section;

(c)the power to take action under section 88E;

(d)the power to take action under section 89U;

(e)the power to give a direction under section 192C;

(f)the power to impose a requirement under section 196.

Textual Amendments

234LProvision of information and assistance to a CMA groupU.K.

(1)For the purpose of assisting a CMA group in carrying out a relevant investigation, the FCA must give the CMA group—

(a)any relevant information which the FCA has in its possession, and

(b)any other assistance which the CMA group may reasonably require in relation to any matters falling within the scope of the investigation.

(2)A “relevant investigation” is an investigation carried out on a reference made by the FCA under section 131 of the Enterprise Act 2002 by virtue of section 234I.

(3)“Relevant information”, in relation to a relevant investigation, is information—

(a)which relates to matters falling within the scope of the investigation, and

(b)which—

(i)is requested by the CMA group for the purpose of the investigation, or

(ii)in the FCA's opinion, it would be appropriate to give to the CMA group for that purpose.

(4)A CMA group, in carrying out a relevant investigation, must take into account any information given to it under this section.

(5)In this section “CMA group” has the same meaning as in Schedule 4 to the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013.

Textual Amendments

234MFunction of keeping market under reviewU.K.

(1)For the purpose of the functions conferred on it by sections 234I to 234L the FCA is to have the function of keeping under review the market for financial services.

(2)The function conferred by subsection (1) is to be carried out with a view to (among other things) ensuring that the FCA has sufficient information to take informed decisions and to carry out its other functions effectively.

Textual Amendments

234NExclusion of general dutiesU.K.

(1)Section 1B (the FCA's general duties) does not apply in relation to anything done by the FCA in the carrying out of its functions by virtue of sections 234I to 234L.

(2)But in the carrying out of any functions by virtue of sections 234I to 234L, the FCA may have regard to any of the matters in respect of which a duty is imposed by section 1B if it is a matter to which the CMA is entitled to have regard in the carrying out of those functions.

Textual Amendments

234OSupplementary provisionU.K.

(1)If any question arises as to whether, by virtue of section 234I or 234J, any functions fall to be, or are capable of being, carried out by the FCA in relation to any particular case, that question is to be referred to, and determined by, the Treasury.

(2)No objection is to be taken to anything done under the Competition Act 1998 or Part 4 of the Enterprise Act 2002 by or in relation to the FCA on the ground that it should have been done by or in relation to the CMA.]

Textual Amendments