Remedy
Start free

Section 312N: Power of direction

Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 · 2000 c. 8View on legislation.gov.uk

Part XVIII: Recognised investment exchanges, clearing houses , CSDs and other parties — CHAPTER 3C: Critical third parties

A relevant regulator may, if it appears to the regulator to be necessary or expedient for the purpose of advancing any of its objectives, direct a critical third party to—

do anything specified in the direction, or
refrain from doing anything specified in the direction.

A direction under this section—

must be given by notice in writing,
may be expressed to have effect during a specified period or until revoked, and
may specify the way in which, and the time by which, a thing is to be done.

Subsection (4) applies if a direction is given to a critical third party for the purpose of resolving or reducing a threat to the stability or integrity of the UK financial system.

The critical third party (including the critical third party's officers and staff) has immunity from liability in damages in respect of action or inaction in accordance with the direction.

A direction given for the purpose mentioned in subsection (3) must—

include a statement that it is given for that purpose, and
inform the critical third party of the effect of subsection (4).

An immunity conferred by this section does not extend to action or inaction—

in bad faith, or
in contravention of section 6(1) of the Human Rights Act 1998.

A relevant regulator may at any time revoke a direction under this section by giving notice in writing to the critical third party to which the direction relates.

The revocation of the direction does not affect the validity of anything previously done in accordance with it.

For the purposes of this section the objectives of a relevant regulator are as described in section 312M(2).

About this text

This legislation text comes from legislation.gov.uk. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. These source and reuse terms cover the legislation text, not Remedy's commentary.

Reuse reviewed 21 August 2026 under Open Government Licence v3.0.