Consultations

This page contains all current and past public consultations to which ShareSoc has responded. The latest ones are at the top of the list. One of the main activities of ShareSoc is to make sure that the views of private shareholders are communicated, and your interests represented, and one way we do that is by responding to all relevant public consultations. Many of ShareSoc’s adopted policies on specific issues are documented in these consultation responses.

Capital Gains Tax review: ShareSoc-UKSA submit joint response to Office of Tax Simplification

We have today submitted this response to the OTS. ShareSoc -UKSA OTS CGT Review response on principles Review _Final We stressed the arguments for a rollover relief for individual investors and referred to the blog by Roger Lawson https://www.sharesoc.org/blog/taxation/capital-gains-tax-reform-surely-long-overdue/ and the comments by many members on that blog. Please can members comment here or add further comments to Roger's original blog. Cliff Weight, Director, ShareSoc  

FRC Consultation on Draft Plan and Budget 2020 / 21

On 25th February 2020, in a joint ShareSoc/UKSA response we responded to the FRC request for comment as follows: Thank you for circulating the Draft Plan and Budget to us for comment. Overall, we like the document that the FRC has produced. Aspects that we particularly like include: The structure: it is logical and easy to follow The content: the issues raised are thoughtful and meaningful. It is good, for example, to see the issue of transparency mentioned specifically. It is also good ...

LSE – Consultation on market structure and trading hours – N18/19 – Our response

ShareSoc calls for reduced trading hours, fewer auctions and wider access to DMA, in a detailed response to the London Stock Exchange Consultation. A copy of ShareSoc’s 8 page response to the 22 questions in response to the consultation detailed in Stock Exchange Notice N18/19 can be downloaded here: Response-to-LSE-Consultation-on-Market-Structure-and-Trading-Hours-N18-FinalR The consultation document can be downloaded here: https://www.londonstockexchange.com/traders-and-brokers/rules-regulations/change-and-updates/stock-exchange-notices/2019/n1819_attach1.pdf This is a very technical area. But nevertheless very important to individual investors. The response was very largely written by Mark Bentley, to whom members should ...

ShareSoc-UKSA Response: Law Commission Review of Intermediated Securities – Call for Evidence

ShareSoc-UKSA submitted a joint response on behalf of individual investors, on 5 Nov 2019. The key points we made were: Communication by email rather than by post is now the norm and assumed as the default position. Printing annual reports and shareholder circulars and sending them to shareholders by post is no longer necessary. Postage and printing costs were some of the key drivers of the nominee system. A modern system of intermediated securities should embrace and recognise modern technology and ensure ...

Law Commission Review of Intermediated Securities Consultation

I am writing to ask you to make a personal submission to The Law Commission Call for Evidence on the subject of dematerialisation, intermediated securities, shareholder rights and nominees/platforms. This is the most important issue that ShareSoc-UKSA campaigns on. Your response must be done by 5 November and submitted to By email to int-sec@lawcommission.gov.uk. Commercial and Common Law Team, Law Commission, 1st Floor, Tower, 52 Queen’s Anne Gate, London, SW1H 9AG. I attach a copy of the official ShareSoc-UKSA  response, which runs to 38 pages. A personal ...

Response to Market Study on Statutory Audit Services

Response to Initial Consultation on Recommendations by the Competition and Markets Authority Peter Parry and Cliff Weight have written a joint response on behalf of the UK Shareholders’ Association (UKSA) and the UK Individual Shareholders’ Society (ShareSoc). This has been submitted to the CMA. We made these key points: There are a few important and overarching issues which we believe need to be stated: Limitations of the CMA’s remit; the CMA was tasked with looking at the audit market and, in particular, considering ...

Response to FCA CP19/12 Consultation on Investment Platforms Market Study Remedies

In a joint response from UKSA and ShareSoc on behalf of individual investors, to the FCA CP19/12 Consultation on Investment Platforms Market Study Remedies, we said: As noted in para 1.6 of CP19/12, the consultation paper will also be of interest to representative industry bodies and consumer groups.  Individual consumers may also find it of interest, and their feedback is welcome.We represent “consumers[1]”, although we prefer the term ‘investors’. To inform our response, ShareSoc undertook a survey of our members in April-May 2019 ...

UKSA-ShareSoc joint response to Brydon Review of Audit

UKSA-ShareSoc submitted a joint response to the Brydon REVIEW INTO THE QUALITY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF AUDIT  We said a fresh approach was needed. Many of the questions in the Review overtly or implicitly prompt debate about how the external audit can be made more robust and more relevant in future. Underlying this is a requirement to find ways of making auditors more accountable to those they are meant to be serving – namely the shareholders. Our view is that this cannot be achieved ...

Response to BEIS on the FRC Kingman proposals

In a detailed joint ShareSoc-UKSA 12-page Response to BEIS on the FRC Kingman proposals, we said we support the general thrust of the Kingman proposals. Kingman is proposing a new authority to replace the FRC. We also made some more general points: Sound financial reporting is a basic prerequisite for good stewardship. However, no matter how good the financial reporting is, if a significant proportion of investors are disenfranchised and unable to make their voice heard, many of the benefits of better financial reporting will ...

ShareSoc and UKSA’s joint response to the FCA Consultation on proposals to improve shareholder engagement

ShareSoc and UKSA’s joint response to the FCA Consultation on proposals to improve shareholder engagement is available here.