Financial Services: Regulation

Baroness Kramer Excerpts

Wednesday 6th September 2017 Lords Chamber

[Lord Bates]

It is certainly a time for better regulation; I very much agree with that. There has been a suggestion that the way in which the FCA has conducted these matters has not focused on the areas of greatest risk. One area it has looked at is the small businesses, in particular, that have been affected by the regulation, whereas perhaps, historically, they are at lower risk. That was why the Enterprise Act 2015 required the FCA to look at the proportionality and the cost of regulation, particularly on those small businesses, which I think was the right step forward.

[Baroness Kramer (LD)]

My Lords, does the Minister agree that in fact the FCA is becoming an effective protector and guardian of individual consumers in regard to the financial services industry? Does he also agree that it is time now to consider expanding its remit to small businesses, especially microbusinesses? We do not need a repeat of the abuses that have happened with RBS and HBOS, and an expanded, proactive role for the FCA in this arena would be very much welcomed by small businesses, the backbone of the country.

[Lord Bates]

Those major banks, of course, are covered by the Prudential Regulation Authority, through the Bank, but the FCA has a prudential role as well as its regulatory role. As I mentioned, it is important that we recognise that where regulations apply it is done in a proportionate and appropriate way for consumers and also for the businesses that are being dealt with.