Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether her Department has held discussions with the Competition and Markets Authority on the adequacy of Open Banking Limited's governance and accountability arrangements in the context of its role in open banking or the open finance framework.

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is responsible for ensuring that the obligations under Part 2 of the Retail Banking Market Investigation Order (the Order), and the accompanying Agreed Arrangements, are satisfied. The Government is aware that Open Banking Limited (OBL) has recently conducted a review of its settlement agreements and sought external legal advice to ensure that these are legally compliant.

For the future, the Government has committed to establish a long-term regulatory framework to support the growth of UK Open Banking. This will provide the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) with powers to regulate Open Banking – including FCA oversight of a so-called ‘Future Entity’ which will take on the functions currently carried out by OBL under the Order.

Treasury officials are engaging with the CMA to inform the design of this future framework.

In due course, the Government will consult on its legislative approach, including the powers it intends to provide the FCA to ensure it can effectively oversee the Open Banking ecosystem and its participants.