SIFA 3
Accessing the handbook
and keeping up to date
SIFA 3.1
Accessing the handbook
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SIFA 3.1.1
See Notes
You can find the FSA Handbook on:
The contents are the same in each medium. You can order one-off paper copies of the Handbook or modules of the Handbook by contacting The Stationery Office (telephone 0845 608 2372) and selecting option 1.
•our website;
and•the monthly
CD-ROMs (sent to all firms and to trade bodies).
The contents are the same in each medium. You can order one-off paper copies of the Handbook or modules of the Handbook by contacting The Stationery Office (telephone 0845 608 2372) and selecting option 1.
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SIFA 3.2
Installing the CD-ROM
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SIFA 3.2.1
See Notes
When you first install the CD-ROM, selecting
Preferences enables you to select the entire Handbook or one or more sourcebooks,
allowing you to refine your search within the Handbook. Tick each sourcebook
to include it in your search. You can amend the sourcebooks you have selected
whenever you wish. This facility does not remove any content from the CD-ROM.
The parts of the Handbook that are of most practical significance to small
firms are set out in Chapter 4 of the Guide.
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SIFA 3.3
Further information
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SIFA 3.3.1
See Notes
You can find further information from
the following sources on our website by clicking on 'FSA Handbook':
•The Reader's
Guide describes the contents of the Handbook; where to find them and how to
make use of them.•The User Guide
provides information on navigating and searching the Handbook.
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SIFA 3.4
Structure of each sourcebook or manual
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SIFA 3.4.1
See Notes
You will find transitional provisions
in each sourcebook. Transitional provisions are rules that tell firms in business
on or before 30 November 2001 (the date the FSA received its statutory powers
known as N2) how to deal with the transition between the FSA rules and the
equivalent rules of a previous regulator. There are some TSPs (Timeless Saving
Provisions) that apply to your existing clients at 30 November 2001. These
allow you to continue to use, or rely on documentation or compliance work
undertaken in line with a previous regulator's rules provided the work
remains valid and up to date. The Conduct of Business (COB) rules relating
to terms of business, client agreements and client classification benefit
from TSPs.
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SIFA 3.4.2
See Notes
There are also some transitional rules
for depolarisation which apply to the COB rules as amended by the Depolarisation
Instrument 2004 and by the implementation of the Distance Marketing Directive.
These state the period during which the transitional rules are to be in force.
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SIFA 3.4.3
See Notes
Each chapter and most sections of the
Handbook begin with a rule that sets out which firms the chapter or section
applies to. For example, COB
5.4.1 R states
'This section applies to a firm that
conducts designated investment
business with or for a private
customer but does not apply to a firm when providing basic advice on a stakeholder product'.
We recommend that you read the application rule first before moving on, checking
the terms in italics with the Handbook Glossary, where necessary. Any word
that is in italics in the Handbook will be defined in the Handbook Glossary.
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SIFA 3.4.4
See Notes
There are schedules of information at
the end of each sourcebook. These are numbered consistently throughout the
Handbook and provide a summary of requirements as set out below:
| Schedule | Contents |
| Schedule 1 | Record keeping requirements (see Chapter 13 of the Guide) |
| Schedule 2 | Notification and reporting requirements (see Chapter 12 of the Guide) |
| Schedule 3 | Fees (see Chapter 18 of the Guide) |
| Schedule 4 | FSA powers used in making the provisions |
| Schedule 5 | Rules where rights of action exist under section 150 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (action for damages by a private person who suffers loss as a result of a breach of the rules) |
| Schedule 6 | Rules which the FSA has powers to waive or modify (see Chapter 16 of the Guide) |
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SIFA 3.5
Keeping up-to-date with handbook changes
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SIFA 3.5.1
See Notes
Handbook Notices and Handbook Development
Newsletters are an important means of keeping up-to-date with changes to the
Handbook and regulatory issues. We publish these on the FSA website and include
them in the monthly CD-ROM.
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SIFA 3.5.2
See Notes
We publish the Handbook Notice after
each monthly FSA Board meeting. It summarises and explains the additions and
changes to the Handbook made by the Board at its meeting. The Handbook Notice
also includes Policy Statements where we are not publishing them separately
(usually for minor amendments that do not warrant a separate Policy Statement).
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SIFA 3.5.3
See Notes
The Handbook Development Newsletter summarises
Consultation and Discussion Papers and Policy Statements we have issued over
the preceding month. It also lists forthcoming publications with expected
month of issue and gives other information, such as training offered by us
to the industry.
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SIFA 3.5.4
See Notes
The 'FSA Library' on our website contains
recent FSA publications, such as Discussion Papers (DPs), Consultation Papers
(CPs) and Policy Statements (PSs).
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SIFA 3.5.5
See Notes
The 'Doing business with the FSA' pages
on our website contain information for small firms. This includes FSA newsletters
and the latest regulatory news, events and announcements. There is also a
catalogue of useful information such as good practice material (for example,
on selecting a compliance consultant).
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SIFA 3.5.6
See Notes
We organise conferences, training workshops
and other events to update firms on regulatory priorities and current developments.
Details of these events are given in the Handbook Development Newsletters
and on our website. You can contact our Events team on 020 7066 0098 if you
want to find out more. Chapter 19 of the Guide details other sources of information.
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SIFA 3.5.7
See Notes
Trade associations, newspapers and magazines
also have an important role in summarising regulatory developments and keeping
smaller investment intermediaries informed of changes.
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