Examining the exams

As part of its review of the training and competence regime in financial services, the Financial Services Authority will commence a comprehensive evaluation of approved examinations in January 2001 . Speaking to trade unions at the Alliance for Finance Conference 2000, Howard Davies said that the current “alphabet soup of qualifications” was confusing for consumers.The regulator expects the review to result in “fewer, possibly tougher regulations.” He said that the FSA had been obliged to act because firms had not moved to raise their own standards.