FSA launches 'personal handbook service'

The FSA's Handbook contains rules covering thousands of firms who are involved in the many and diverse types of business regulated by the FSA. As these range from multi-national investment banks to car dealers selling insurance, not all rules apply to all firms.

Andrew Whittaker, FSA director responsible for better regulation policy, said: "Today's launch of our 'personal handbook' service will help firms to access the rules and guidance they need. This will help make us easier to do business with and contribute to better regulation."

Further improvements include:

-the ability to access the user's preferred handbook format with one click from the home page;

- 'Focus on' handbooks to allow users to access key material on a particular topic;

- Improved "time travel" to past and future versions of the Handbook;

- Improved "What's New" and "Watched Topic" alerts;

- Access to past versions of the full Handbook.