The BoE and PRA have published their responses to the Complaints Commissioner’s recommendations. The responses are published in full on the Commissioner’s website and cover the following:
- the BoE, the PRA, and the FCA are working to establish a process to identify and respond to joint complaints;
- the Commissioner recommended that final decision letters are not marked as ‘private and confidential’ to ensure that this does not contradict the principles of transparency and public accountability. In response the BoE and the PRA have committed to reviewing the use of this demarcation on a case-by-case basis, and to clarify to addressees that they can choose to share the final response letter as they wish;
- the Commissioner invited the PRA to consider if there was a lacuna in the provisions of the Friendly Society Act 1992. As HM Treasury is responsible for this legislation, the PRA has raised this matter with them;
- the Commissioner recommended that the PRA should offer an apology and make a £75 ex gratia payment for distress and inconvenience caused by delays in handling a complaint. This recommendation has been accepted and the PRA has made the apology and ex gratia payment; and
- the PRA will consider the recommendation to put in place an indicative scale for ex gratia payments for distress and inconvenience caused by delays in complaints handling.