This week’s news… condensed

Ten of this week's best-read stories...

1. Arch Cru

MPs finally came around to debating the Arch Cru issue and there were harsh words directed at the FSA and Capita. Mark Hoban managed to turn the spotlight onto IFAs.

2. Keydata

Another week, another development involving Keydata. This time the FSCS put together a deal to provide liquidity for the Lifemark portfolio to rival a $150m loan offer brokered by Keydata founder Stewart Ford.

3. Regulatory reviews

Enjoy getting visits from the FSA? Expect a few more. It will be conducting 'regulatory reviews' of small firms, though not before it goes on the road with some workshops to give advisers an idea of what to expect.

4. Complaints

There seems to be plenty to complain about at the moment. Financial Ombudsman Service figures showed a 24% increase in complaints in Q2, and that's excluding the big gripe of recent times: PPI.

5. MiFID II

The debate over the fate of commission post-2012 is definitely not over. Draft European legislation (MiFID II) will limit the ban on receiving commission payments from product providers to independent financial advisers. But what about restricted advisers? No mention of them. Yet...

6. FSA consumer research

If you think it's pointless to ask members of the public about their views on cash rebates, you're not alone. Some platforms questioned why the FSA is conducting consumer research on the issue.

7. Liability as a selling point?

There are plenty of selling points for good, quality independent financial advice. But is liability one of them? That's what AIFA director general Stephen Gay thinks.

8. Auto-enrolment

After all the build-up and excitement, could the government be about to delay the introduction of auto-enrolment? Former Chancellor Alistair Darling says they are definitely thinking about it.

9. Simple products

The government unveiled further details this week about its plans for simple products. It suggested it is warming to the idea of making advisers use the products as benchmarks for their own recommendations. But don't worry... they won't be price capped.

10. Long-stop

Stephen Gay was also in action in Parliament, where he tried to convince MPs and peers on the merits of a long-stop.