Financial Services and Markets Act 2000

66 Disciplinary powers. U.K.

(1) [F1 A regulator] may take action against a person under this section [F2 (whether or not it has given its approval in relation to the person)] if—

(a) it appears to the [F3 regulator] that he is guilty of misconduct; and

(b) the [F4 regulator] is satisfied that it is appropriate in all the circumstances to take action against him.

[F5 (2) For the purposes of action by the FCA, a person is guilty of misconduct if, while an approved person—

(a) the person has failed to comply with a statement of principle issued by the FCA under section 64, or

(b) the person has been knowingly concerned in a contravention by the relevant authorised person of a requirement imposed on that authorised person—

(i) by or under this Act, F6 ...

[F7 (ia) by the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Regulations 2013, or]

(ii) by any qualifying EU provision specified, or of a description specified, for the purposes of this subsection by the Treasury by order.

(2A) For the purposes of action by the PRA, a person is guilty of misconduct if, while an approved person in respect of the performance of a significant-influence function in relation to the carrying on by a PRA-authorised person of a regulated activity—

(a) the person has failed to comply with a statement of principle issued by the PRA under section 64, or

(b) the person has been knowingly concerned in a contravention by the relevant authorised person of a requirement imposed on that authorised person—

(i) by or under this Act, or

(ii) by any qualifying EU provision specified, or of a description specified, for the purposes of this subsection by the Treasury by order.]

(3) If the [F8 regulator] is entitled to take action under this section against a person, [F9 it may do one or more of the following—]—

(a) impose a penalty on him of such amount as it considers appropriate;

[F10 (aa) suspend, for such period as it considers appropriate, any approval of the performance by him of any function to which the approval relates;

(ab) impose, for such period as it considers appropriate, such limitations or other restrictions in relation to the performance by him of any function to which any approval relates as it considers appropriate;] or

(b) publish a statement of his misconduct.

[F11 (3A) The period for which a suspension or restriction is to have effect may not exceed two years.

(3B) A suspension or restriction may have effect in relation to part of a function.

(3C) A restriction may, in particular, be imposed so as to require any person to take, or refrain from taking, specified action.

(3D) [F12 The regulator taking action under this section] may—

(a) withdraw a suspension or restriction; or

(b) vary a suspension or restriction so as to reduce the period for which it has effect or otherwise to limit its effect.]

(4) [F13 A regulator] may not take action under this section after the end of the [F14 relevant period] beginning with the first day on which [F15 the regulator] knew of the misconduct, unless proceedings in respect of it against the person concerned were begun before the end of that period.

(5) For the purposes of subsection (4)—

(a) [F16 a regulator] is to be treated as knowing of misconduct if it has information from which the misconduct can reasonably be inferred; and

(b) proceedings against a person in respect of misconduct are to be treated as begun when a warning notice is given to him under section 67(1).

[F17 (5ZA) “The relevant period” is—

(a) in relation to misconduct which occurs before the day on which this subsection comes into force, the period of 3 years, and

(b) in relation to misconduct which occurs on or after that day, the period of 6 years.]

[F18 (5A) “Approval” means an approval given under section 59.]

[F19 (6) “Approved person” means a person in relation to whom an approval is given under that section.]

(7) “Relevant authorised person”, in relation to an approved person, means the person on whose application approval F20 . . . was given.

[F21 (8) In relation to any time while a suspension is in force under subsection (3)(aa) in relation to part of a function, any reference in section 59 or 63A to the performance of a function includes the performance of part of a function.

(9) If at any time a restriction imposed under subsection (3)(ab) is contravened, the approval in relation to the person concerned is to be treated for the purposes of sections 59 and 63A as if it had been withdrawn at that time.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 66(1) substituted (24.1.2013 for specified purposes, 1.4.2013 in so far as not already in force) by Financial Services Act 2012 (c. 21), s. 122(3), Sch. 5 para. 14(2)(a)(i) (with Sch. 20); S.I. 2013/113, art. 2(1)(b), Sch. Pt. 2; S.I. 2013/423, art. 3, Sch.

F2 Words in s. 66(1) 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), s. 122(3), Sch. 5 para. 14(2)(a)(ii) (with Sch. 20); S.I. 2013/113, art. 2(1)(b), Sch. Pt. 2; S.I. 2013/423, art. 3, Sch.

F3 Word in s. 66(1)(a) substituted (24.1.2013 for specified purposes, 1.4.2013 in so far as not already in force) by Financial Services Act 2012 (c. 21), s. 122(3), Sch. 5 para. 14(2)(b) (with Sch. 20); S.I. 2013/113, art. 2(1)(b), Sch. Pt. 2; S.I. 2013/423, art. 3, Sch.

F4 Word in s. 66(1)(b) substituted (24.1.2013 for specified purposes, 1.4.2013 in so far as not already in force) by Financial Services Act 2012 (c. 21), s. 122(3), Sch. 5 para. 14(2)(b) (with Sch. 20); S.I. 2013/113, art. 2(1)(b), Sch. Pt. 2; S.I. 2013/423, art. 3, Sch.

F5 S. 66(2)(2A) substituted for s. 66(2) (24.1.2013 for specified purposes, 1.4.2013 in so far as not already in force) by Financial Services Act 2012 (c. 21), s. 122(3), Sch. 5 para. 14(3) (with Sch. 20); S.I. 2013/113, art. 2(1)(b), Sch. Pt. 2; S.I. 2013/423, art. 3, Sch.

F6 Word in s. 66(2)(b) omitted (22.7.2013) by virtue of The Alternative Investment Fund Managers Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/1773), reg. 1, Sch. 1 para. 8

F7 S. 66(2)(b)(ia) inserted (22.7.2013) by The Alternative Investment Fund Managers Regulations 2013 (S.I. 2013/1773), reg. 1, Sch. 1 para. 8

F8 Word in s. 66(3) substituted (24.1.2013 for specified purposes, 1.4.2013 in so far as not already in force) by Financial Services Act 2012 (c. 21), s. 122(3), Sch. 5 para. 14(4) (with Sch. 20); S.I. 2013/113, art. 2(1)(b), Sch. Pt. 2; S.I. 2013/423, art. 3, Sch.

F9 Words in s. 66(3) inserted (8.6.2010) by Financial Services Act 2010 (c. 28), ss. 12(2)(a), 26(2)(b)

F10 S. 66(3)(aa)(ab) inserted (8.6.2010) by Financial Services Act 2010 (c. 28), ss. 12(2)(b), 26(2)(b)

F11 S. 66(3A)-(3D) inserted (8.6.2010) by Financial Services Act 2010 (c. 28), ss. 12(3), 26(2)(b)

F12 Words in s. 66(3D) substituted (24.1.2013 for specified purposes, 1.4.2013 in so far as not already in force) by Financial Services Act 2012 (c. 21), s. 122(3), Sch. 5 para. 14(5) (with Sch. 20); S.I. 2013/113, art. 2(1)(b), Sch. Pt. 2; S.I. 2013/423, art. 3, Sch.

F13 Words in s. 66(4) substituted (24.1.2013 for specified purposes, 1.4.2013 in so far as not already in force) by Financial Services Act 2012 (c. 21), s. 122(3), Sch. 5 para. 14(6)(a) (with Sch. 20); S.I. 2013/113, art. 2(1)(b), Sch. Pt. 2; S.I. 2013/423, art. 3, Sch.

F14 Words in s. 66(4) substituted (25.7.2014) by Financial Services (Banking Reform) Act 2013 (c. 33), ss. 28(5), 148(5); S.I. 2014/1819, art. 2(1)(c)

F15 Words in s. 66(4) substituted (24.1.2013 for specified purposes, 1.4.2013 in so far as not already in force) by Financial Services Act 2012 (c. 21), s. 122(3), Sch. 5 para. 14(6)(b) (with Sch. 20); S.I. 2013/113, art. 2(1)(b), Sch. Pt. 2; S.I. 2013/423, art. 3, Sch.

F16 Words in s. 66(5)(a) substituted (24.1.2013 for specified purposes, 1.4.2013 in so far as not already in force) by Financial Services Act 2012 (c. 21), s. 122(3), Sch. 5 para. 14(7) (with Sch. 20); S.I. 2013/113, art. 2(1)(b), Sch. Pt. 2; S.I. 2013/423, art. 3, Sch.

F17 S. 66(5ZA) inserted (25.7.2014) by Financial Services (Banking Reform) Act 2013 (c. 33), ss. 28(6), 148(5); S.I. 2014/1819, art. 2(1)(c)

F18 S. 66(5A) inserted (8.6.2010) by Financial Services Act 2010 (c. 28), ss. 24(1), 26(2)(d)(e), Sch. 2 para. 8(2)

F19 S. 66(6) substituted (24.1.2013 for specified purposes, 1.4.2013 in so far as not already in force) by Financial Services Act 2012 (c. 21), s. 122(3), Sch. 5 para. 14(8) (with Sch. 20); S.I. 2013/113, art. 2(1)(b), Sch. Pt. 2; S.I. 2013/423, art. 3, Sch.

F20 Words in s. 66(7) omitted (8.6.2010) by virtue of by Financial Services Act 2010 (c. 28), ss. 24(1), 26(2)(d)(e), Sch. 2 para. 8(3)

F21 S. 66(8)(9) inserted (8.6.2010) by Financial Services Act 2010 (c. 28), ss. 24(1), 26(2)(d)(e), Sch. 2 para. 8(4)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 66 modified (1.12.2001) by S.I. 2001/2657, arts. 1(1), 9 (which was revoked (8.10.2001) by S.I. 2001/3083, arts. 1(2), 23); S.I. 2001/3538, art. 2(1)

S. 66 modified (1.12.2001) by S.I. 2001/3083, arts. 1(2), 9; S.I. 2001/3538, art. 2(1)

C2 Ss. 66-70 applied (with modifications) (1.11.2009) by The Payment Services Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/209), regs. 1(2)(c), 95, Sch. 5 para. 1 (with reg. 3) (as amended (1.4.2013) by The Financial Services Act 2012 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/472), Sch. 2 para. 155(6)(a) (with Sch. 2 para. 156))

C3 Ss. 66-70 applied (with modifications) (11.2.2010) by The Cross-Border Payments in Euro Regulations 2010 (S.I. 2010/89), reg. 19, Sch. para. 1

C4 Ss. 66-70 applied (with modifications) (30.4.2011) by The Electronic Money Regulations 2011 (S.I. 2011/99), regs. 1(2)(b), 62, Sch. 3 para. 1 (with art. 3) (as amended (1.4.2013) by The Financial Services Act 2012 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/472), Sch. 2 para. 196(5)(a))

C5 Ss. 66-70 applied (with modifications) (15.1.2013) by The Payments in Euro (Credit Transfers and Direct Debits) Regulations 2012 (S.I. 2012/3122), reg. 1, Sch. para. 1 (as amended (1.4.2013) by The Financial Services Act 2012 (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/472), Sch. 2 para. 248(6)(a))

C6 S. 66 applied (with modifications) (26.7.2013 for specified purposes, 1.4.2014 in so far as not already in force) by The Financial Services Act 2012 (Consumer Credit) Order 2013 (S.I. 2013/1882), arts. 1(1), 3(3)

C7 S. 66(3)(a) restricted (1.12.2001) by S.I. 2001/3592, arts. 1(2), 60(2) (with art. 23(2))