The existing authorisation manual has now been deleted altogether from the FSA handbook as the guidance in the manual is now located online on the FSA website in a user-friendly format which is easy to understand and to keep up to date. Unlike the authorisation manual, a substantial proportion of it is tailored for particular types of applicant firms. To make the transition as easy as possible for those applicant firms and their advisers who have continued to use the authorisation manual's guidance, the FSA has produced a detailed table showing where the new online guidance can be found on our website. This table is available on the FSA Website .
The deletion of the140 pages of handbook text in the authorisation manual is a big step forward in the FSA's overall handbook simplification programme which got underway last year. The programme so far has seen the deletion of the detailed anti-money laundering rule book, the removal of detailed Training and Competence rules for firms that deal only with wholesale or non-private customers, and the deletion of the requirement on firms to provide each year the names of individuals performing a significant management controlled function. Further handbook simplifications are in the pipeline for 2007 including the consultation paper (CP 07/2 reform of the enforcement and decision making manuals) issued on 10 January 2007.
