Part IX Hearings and Appeals
132 The Financial Services and Markets Tribunal.
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F2133 Proceedings before Tribunal: general provision
(1)
This section applies in the case of a reference or appeal to the Tribunal (whether made under this or any other Act) in respect of—
(a)
a decision of F3the FCA or the PRA;
(b)
a decision of the Bank of England; or
(c)
a decision of a person relating to the assessment of any compensation or consideration under the M1Banking (Special Provisions) Act 2008 or the M2Banking Act 2009.
F4(1A)
For the purposes of this section, in the case of a reference to the Tribunal under section 290(4A) (which relates to an application by a central securities depository under section 288A), the failure by the Bank of England to make a decision is treated as a decision to refuse the application (and accordingly is treated as falling within subsection (1)(b)).
(2)
In this section—
“relevant decision” means a decision mentioned in subsection (1)(a), (b) or (c); and
“the decision-maker”, in relation to a relevant decision, means the person who made the relevant decision.
(3)
Tribunal Procedure Rules may make provision for the suspension of a relevant decision which has taken effect, pending determination of the reference or appeal.
(4)
The Tribunal may consider any evidence relating to the subject-matter of the reference or appeal, whether or not it was available to the decision-maker at the material time.
F5(5)
In the case of a disciplinary reference or a reference under section 393(11), the Tribunal—
(a)
must determine what (if any) is the appropriate action for the decision-maker to take in relation to the matter; and
(b)
on determining the reference, must remit the matter to the decision-maker with such directions (if any) as the Tribunal considers appropriate for giving effect to its determination.
F6(5A)
In the case of a reference under paragraph 7 of Schedule 6A, the Tribunal—
(a)
must determine what (if any) is the appropriate action that must be taken in relation to the matter, and
(b)
on determining the reference, must give such directions (if any) to such persons as the Tribunal considers appropriate for giving effect to its determination.
(6)
In any other case, the Tribunal must determine the reference or appeal by either—
(a)
dismissing it; or
(b)
remitting the matter to the decision-maker with a direction to reconsider and reach a decision in accordance with the findings of the Tribunal.
(6A)
The findings mentioned in subsection (6)(b) are limited to findings as to—
(a)
issues of fact or law;
(b)
the matters to be, or not to be, taken into account in making the decision; and
(c)
the procedural or other steps to be taken in connection with the making of the decision.
(7)
The decision-maker must act in accordance with the determination of, and any direction given by, the Tribunal.
F7(7A)
A reference is a “disciplinary reference” for the purposes of this section if it is in respect of any of the following decisions—
(a)
a decision to impose a penalty under section 63A;
(b)
a decision to take action under section 66;
(c)
a decision to take action under section 87M;
(d)
a decision to take action under section 88A;
(e)
a decision to take action under section 89K;
(f)
a decision to take action under section 89Q;
(g)
a decision to take action under section 91;
F8(h)
a decision to impose a penalty or publish a statement of censure under section 123, impose a prohibition under section 123A or impose a suspension or restriction under section 123B;
(i)
a decision to take action under section 131G;
F9(ia)
a decision to take action under section 142S;
F10(ib)
a decision to take action under section 143W;
(j)
a decision to take action under section 192K;
(k)
a decision to publish a statement under section 205, impose a penalty under section 206 or suspend a permission or impose a restriction under section 206A;
(l)
a decision to take action under section 249 F11or 261K;
(m)
(n)
a decision to take action under section 345 or 345A.
F13(o)
a decision to take action under section 83ZR of the Banking Act 2009.
(8)
An order of the Tribunal may be enforced—
(a)
F14in England and Wales, as if it were an order of the county court or, in Northern Ireland, as if it were an order of a county court; or
(b)
in Scotland, as if it were an order of the Court of Session.
133A Proceedings before Tribunal: decision and supervisory notices, etc.
(1)
In determining F16in accordance with section 133(5) a reference made (whether under this or any other Act) as a result of a decision notice F17given by a body, the Tribunal may not direct the body to take action which it would not, as a result of section 388(2), have had power to take when giving the notice.
F18(2)
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F19(3)
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(4)
F20The action specified in a decision notice must not be taken—
(a)
during the period within which the matter to which the notice relates may be referred to the Tribunal (whether under this or any other Act); and
(b)
if the matter is so referred, until the reference, and any appeal against the Tribunal's determination, has been finally disposed of.
(5)
133B Offences
(1)
This section applies in the case of proceedings before the Tribunal in respect of—
(a)
a decision of F23the FCA or the PRA;
(b)
a decision of the Bank of England; or
(c)
a decision of a person relating to the assessment of any compensation or consideration under the M3Banking (Special Provisions) Act 2008 or the M4Banking Act 2009.
(2)
A person is guilty of an offence if that person, without reasonable excuse—
(a)
refuses or fails—
(i)
to attend following the issue of a summons by the Tribunal; or
(ii)
to give evidence; or
(b)
alters, suppresses, conceals or destroys, or refuses to produce a document which he may be required to produce for the purposes of proceedings before the Tribunal.
(3)
A person guilty of an offence under subsection (2)(a) is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale.
(4)
A person guilty of an offence under subsection (2)(b) is liable—
(a)
on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum;
(b)
on conviction on indictment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or a fine or both.
Legal assistance before the Tribunal
134 Legal assistance scheme.
(1)
The Lord Chancellor may by regulations establish a scheme governing the provision of legal assistance in connection with proceedings before the Tribunal.
(2)
If the Lord Chancellor establishes a scheme under subsection (1), it must provide that a person is eligible for assistance only if—
(a)
he falls within subsection (3); and
(b)
he fulfils such other criteria (if any) as may be prescribed as a result of section 135(1)(d).
(3)
A person falls within this subsection if he is an individual who has referred a matter to the Tribunal under section 127(4).
(4)
In this Part of this Act “the legal assistance scheme” means any scheme in force under subsection (1).
135 Provisions of the legal assistance scheme.
(1)
The legal assistance scheme may, in particular, make provision as to—
(a)
the kinds of legal assistance that may be provided;
(b)
the persons by whom legal assistance may be provided;
(c)
the manner in which applications for legal assistance are to be made;
(d)
the criteria on which eligibility for legal assistance is to be determined;
(e)
the persons or bodies by whom applications are to be determined;
(f)
appeals against refusals of applications;
(g)
the revocation or variation of decisions;
(h)
its administration and the enforcement of its provisions.
(2)
Legal assistance under the legal assistance scheme may be provided subject to conditions or restrictions, including conditions as to the making of contributions by the person to whom it is provided.
136 Funding of the legal assistance scheme.
(1)
The F24FCA must pay to the Lord Chancellor such sums at such times as he may, from time to time, determine in respect of the anticipated or actual cost of legal assistance provided in connection with proceedings before the Tribunal under the legal assistance scheme.
(2)
In order to enable it to pay any sum which it is obliged to pay under subsection (1), the F24FCA must make rules requiring the payment to it by authorised persons or any class of authorised person of specified amounts or amounts calculated in a specified way.
(3)
Sums received by the Lord Chancellor under subsection (1) must be paid into the Consolidated Fund.
(4)
The Lord Chancellor must, out of money provided by Parliament fund the cost of legal assistance provided in connection with proceedings before the Tribunal under the legal assistance scheme.
(5)
Subsection (6) applies if, as respects a period determined by the Lord Chancellor, the amount paid to him under subsection (1) as respects that period exceeds the amount he has expended in that period under subsection (4).
(6)
The Lord Chancellor must—
(a)
repay, out of money provided by Parliament, the excess to the F25FCA; or
(b)
take the excess into account on the next occasion on which he makes a determination under subsection (1).
(7)
The F26FCA must make provision for any sum repaid to it under subsection (6)(a)—
(a)
to be distributed among—
(i)
the authorised persons on whom a levy was imposed in the period in question as a result of rules made under subsection (2); or
(ii)
such of those persons as it may determine;
(b)
to be applied in order to reduce any amounts which those persons, or such of them as it may determine, are or will be liable to pay to the F26FCA, whether under rules made under subsection (2) or otherwise; or
(c)
to be partly so distributed and partly so applied.
(8)
If the F27FCA considers that it is not practicable to deal with any part of a sum repaid to it under subsection (6)(a) in accordance with provision made by it as a result of subsection (7), it may, with the consent the Lord Chancellor, apply or dispose of that part of that sum in such manner as it considers appropriate.
(9)
“Specified” means specified in the rules.
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137Appeal on a point of law.
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