An account of the principal phases in the development of the English banking system, and an analysis of the financial structure of the economy of the UK. The book focuses in detail on the regulatory and supervisory aspects of the UK banking system, and the interactions between the structural aspects of the banking and supervisory system.

This document outlines the Government's programme of reform to renew the UK's system of financial regulation. It believes that weaknesses were inherent in the tripartite approach whereby three authorities - the Bank of England, the Financial Services Authority and the Treasury - were collectively responsible for financial stability. The Government will create a new Financial Policy Committee (FPC) in the Bank of England with primary statutory duty to maintain financial stability. The FPC will be given control of macro-prudential tools to ensure that systemic risks to financial stability are dealt with. This macro-prudential regulation must be co-ordinated with the prudential regulation of individual firms. Operational responsibility for prudential regulation will transfer from the FSA to a new subsidiary of the Bank of England, the Prudential Regulation Authority. The third development is the creation of a dedicated Consumer Protection and Markets Authority (CPMA) with a primary statutory responsibility to promote confidence in financial services and markets. Protection of consumers will be delivered though a strong consumer division within CPMA. The document also covers: the issue of market regulation; co-ordination of the regulatory bodies in a potential crisis; the next steps, including public consultation, legislative passage and operational implementation. The Government will, after considering responses, produce more detailed proposals - including draft legislation - for further consultation in early 2011, with a view to having legislation on the statute book within two years.

In the wake of the financial crises of the late 1990s, there was a surge of interest in the systematic assessment of financial sectors, with a view to identifying vulnerabilities and evaluating the sector's developmental needs. Consequently, there has been an increased demand from financial sector authorities in many countries for information on key issues and sound practices in the assessment of financial systems and the appropriate design of policy responses. In response, Financial Sector Assessmsnet presents a general analytical framework and broad guidance on approaches, methodologies and key techniques for assessing the stability and development needs of financial systems. It synthesizes current global sound practices in financial sector assessment.

The quality of financial sector supervision has emerged as a key issue from the financial crisis. While most countries operated broadly under the same regulatory standards, differences emerged in supervisory approaches. The international response to this crisis has focused on the need for more and better regulations (e.g., in areas such as bank capital, liquidity and provisioning) and on developing a framework to address systemic risks, but there has been less discussion of how supervision itself could be strengthened. The IMF's work in assessing compliance with financial sector standards over the past decade in member countries suggests that while progress is being made in putting regulation in place, work remains to be done in many countries to strengthen supervision. How can this enhanced supervision be achieved? Based on an examination of lessons from the crisis and the findings of these assessments of countries' compliance with financial standards, the paper identifies the following key elements of good supervision-that it is intrusive, skeptical, proactive, comprehensive, adaptive, and conclusive. To achieve these elements, the "ability" to supervise, which requires appropriate resources, authority, organization and constructive working relationships with other agencies must be complemented by the "will" to act. Supervisors must be willing and empowered to take timely and effective action, to intrude on decision-making, to question common wisdom, and to take unpopular decisions. Developing this "will to act" is a more difficult task and requires that supervisors have a clear and unambiguous mandate, operational independence coupled with accountability, skilled staff, and a relationship with industry that avoids "regulatory capture." These essential elements of good supervision need to be given as much attention as the regulatory reforms that are being contemplated at both national and international levels. Indeed, only if supervision is strengthened can we hope to effectively deliver on the challenging-but crucial-regulatory reform agenda. For this to happen, society must stand with supervisors as they play their role as naysayers in times of exuberance.

The UK financial system, now in its fifth edition, provides an up-to-date discussion of the UK financial system and the changes affecting it. Throughout the world the nature and regulation of financial systems have changed dramatically following the global financial crisis. In this text the necessary underlying theory is introduced and a range of relevant statistics provided in each chapter to supplement the narrative. Coverage includes a critique of the UK financial institutions and markets, as well as regulation emanating both from within the UK and also from supranational bodies such as the Bank for International Settlements and the European Union. The discussion is based on both the underlying theory as well as the operating practices of the institutions and markets. Each supplemented by a comprehensive glossary, the book is subdivided into three main sections: financial institutions; financial markets; and the regulation of banks and other financial institutions. The book will be essential reading to lecturers and undergraduate students enrolled on courses in financial economics and banking.

This publication contains the proceedings of an international conference on the regulation of financial institutions and supervisory structural reforms, held in Washington D.C., United States in December 2003 and involving participants from 52 countries. It considers case studies of experiences of regulatory reform approaches adopted in a number of countries including Australia, South Africa, Ireland, Sweden, Hungary and Estonia.