Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the EU has agreed to implement (a) temporary equivalence and recognition for UK central counterparties and central securities depositories, (b) the European Securities and Markets Authority’s decision to approve Memoranda of Understanding on allowing cross-border delegation of portfolio management between the UK and the EEA and (c) the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority's recommendations on relevant member state regulators to minimise detriment to insurance policyholders in the in the event the UK leaves the EU without an agreement.

I refer the Hon. Member to the answer that I gave on 24 July 2019 under UIN 279465.

We welcome the steps taken by the EU and some individual member states to help mitigate cliff-edge risks to financial services. This includes:

• The EU’s temporary equivalence and recognition for UK central counterparties (CCPs) and central securities depositories (CSDs). This follows similar action from HMT to legislate for a process to facilitate continued access for EU and global CCPs and CSDs to the UK market.
• The European Securities and Markets Authority and the FCA have agreed MoUs that include provisions to allow cross-border delegation of portfolio management between the UK and the EEA. This provides the asset management industry with certainty that portfolio delegation services between themselves and clients in the EEA can continue in any exit scenario.
• Recommendations from the European Insurance and Occupational Pensions Authority which call on relevant Member State regulators to put in place measures which aim to minimise detriment to insurance policyholders. It is a matter for national regulators whether they choose to comply with this guidance.