News quiz 2013: A year in questions

1. What percentage of Tenet’s members stopped offering investment advice since the implementation of the RDR?

2. IFAs called for which provider’s “clunky” online system to become slicker?

3. According to research by the Cherry Forum, what percentage of IFAs expected the RDR to cause income levels to drop?

4. Shaikh Khan, a former Barclays boss, was jailed for stealing how much money from a millionaire customer?

5. Which Yorkshire-based financial advisory business pledged to waive professional indemnity excess for partner advisers?

6. Lloyds Banking Group pledged to lend how much to help first-time buyers get on the property ladder?

7. An FCA consultation revealed that the amount advisers contributed towards the Money Advice Service could drop by what percentage?

8. How many mortgages were taken out by first-time buyers in November 2012, according to data from the Council of Mortgage Lenders?

9. Advisory firm Portfolio Financial Consultancy acquired the assets of which Welsh business?

February

10. The number of certified financial planners worldwide was approaching what landmark figure, according to data from the Financial Planning Standards Board?

11. Analysis by Castle Trust showed that UK commercial property fund investors lost an average of what percentage during the past five years?

12. Profits at Hargreaves Lansdown rose by what percentage in the second half of 2012?

13. Union Unite urged which company to share its profits?

14. The chief executive of which firm said the role of paraplanners has expanded since the RDR?

15. According to the Charity Commission, Hector Sants’ charitable trust was how many days late in filing its annual return for 2012?

16. Towry chose which provider to supply business software across its UK offices?

March

17. St James’s Place aimed to deliver between what percentages of new business revenue growth in 2013?

18. LV= increased its income drawdown levels to what per cent?

19. The number of Arrow inspections of insurance businesses increased by more than what ratio amid preparations for Solvency II?

20. Name the Cheshire-based firm that stopped promoting Harlequin’s products because of the FSA’s pronouncements?

21. Platforms accounted for how many Isa sales in January 2013, according to data from the Investment Management Association?

22. An Axa survey said that more than half of cash-strapped 25- to 34-year-olds blame whom for their financial situation?

23. The director of asset allocation for which firm warned George Osborne to ease back on austerity?

24. Genworth Financial claimed that the number of financially vulnerable households in Great Britain have increased by how much since 2007?

April

25. What percentage of advisers shifted to restricted, according to a survey by Dunstan Thomas?

26. Which city, according to HSBC, was the best place for buy-to-let investors?

27. Which pension provider sold its Sipp and Ssas book?

28. Which advisory firm teamed up with the Federation of Small Businesses to provide private medical insurance for the trade body’s members?

29. Which protection provider offered customers one year of free critical illness protection when they applied for life cover?

30. Name the disgraced banker who offered to give up his knighthood?

31. The director of which financial adviser firm said that RDR paperwork had put IFAs “back into the dark ages”?

32. A survey by the National Association of Pension Funds revealed that workers born in the 1980s are more or less switched on to pensions than older colleagues?

33. Which provider said it was exploring the possibility of acquiring further businesses?

34. Women who retire in 2013 will have to live on how much less than the average male pension, according to research by Prudential?

May

35. The number of mortgage-related complaints referred to the Financial Ombudsman Service rose by what percentage?

36. Name the Cofunds chairman who left his role after L&G purchased the company?

37. Which advisory firm selected its third university student for an internship programme?

38. What was the percentage of remortgaging done through an intermediary in the first three months of 2013, according to data from the Council of Mortgage Lenders?

39. What percentage of advisory firms claimed to be suffering from lower turnover since the implementation of the RDR, according to a poll?

40. Five years after its launch Bestinvest reported total assets under management of how much for its multi-asset portfolio fund range?

41. Which protection provider launched a business protection proposition?

42. Name the friendly society that launched a service to provide its members with access to medical advice around the clock?

43. Name the Spanish investment management company that launched three UK funds?

June

44. Origen Investment Services sold its pension administration and trustee businesses to Barnett Waddingham and which other firm?

45. Name the software provider that brought US models into the UK advisory market to streamline processes between advisers, clients, providers and underwriters?

46. A study by Partnership revealed that people from which county are worst off for income when they retire?

47. The ABI reported a year-on-year rise of what percentage, regarding the amount paid out by insurers for life, critical illness and income protection insurance?

48. Which provider said it was likely to scrap consultancy charging for workplace pensions business not confirmed by May 10?

49. Name the provider that called for a sunset clause on rebates?

50. An adviser slammed which provider for cutting him out of the loop and cold-calling his client?

51. The number of workers older than 65 exceeded which figure for the first time, according to the Office for National Statistics?

52. Research by NMG Consulting revealed that the number of advisers claiming to be independent was at what percentage?

53. The Financial Services Compensation Scheme confirmed it would review recompense claims made by clients with which defunct advisory firm?

54. What percentage of advisers intended to move all their clients to an adviser-charging model within the next 12 months, according to a Skandia survey?

July

55. Senior industry figures called for the government’s decision to lift the cap on contributions into the National Employment Savings Trust to be actioned before which year?

56. Defaqto said the number of critical illness policies offering severity-based cover jumped from 14 per cent at the end of 2009 to how much?

57. Ten-year gilts could rise to at least what percentage by 2025, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers?

58. Former adviser Arwyn Bailey won a six-month battle with which firm over trail commission?

59. Financial education will be compulsory in English schools from which year, according to David Cameron?

60. How many high loan-to-value mortgages were advanced to borrowers in the UK with a deposit of less than 15 per cent in June 2013, according to research from e.surv?

61. A consumer campaign was launched to fight which bank’s plans to restructure its finances?

62. What percentage of millionaires do not discuss inheritance, according to a report from Coutts?

63. Name the North Devon-based adviser who was embroiled in a legal dispute with his brother over the development of a hotel?

August

64. Name the advisory support group that launched an e-petition to introduce a regulatory long-stop?

65. How many factsheets did the FCA send to firms to demonstrate how to disclose charges and services following its first thematic review into the RDR?

66. Perspective Financial Group turned down how many firms that applied to join its business?

67. Which advisory firm hired nearly a sixth of former Clydesdale and Yorkshire bank advisers?

68. Name the mortgage broker who said her Madagascar trip put the UK housing problems in to perspective?

69. The average opt-out rate for workplace pensions was at what percentage between October 2012 and April 2013, according to the department for work and pensions?

70. Trust in the financial sector among British investors slipped to what percentage?

71. How many homes and businesses received visits from the taxman in 2012, according to law firm

Pinsent Masons?

72. Nexus IFA continued its acquisition spree by snapping up the client bank of which Surrey-based company?

September

73. Which adviser network saw its number of approved persons fall by 8 per cent?

74. Retired advisers could pay up to how much

to be protected against unlimited liability, according to a city lawyer? 75. Scottish Provident paid out what percentage of its critical illness claims in 2013?

76. Up to how many staff were at risk of redundancy after Lighthouse closed its Exeter office?

77. What percentage of the population is relying on inheriting property or cash from parents to fund their retirement, according to research from NFU Mutual?

78. How many homes were bought under the NewBuy Guarantee scheme between 1 April and 30 June 2013?

79. Advisers in the auto-enrolment market could lose out on how much revenue by 2018 if they fail their clients during the staging process?

80. The government anticipated Britons will face a shortfall of how much in their pension pots, regardless of auto-enrolment?

81. Axa Wealth was fined how much by the FCA for failing to ensure it gave suitable investment advice to its customers?

82. Who was elected president of the Personal Finance Society for 2013/14?

83. Name the firm that was identified as being one of two businesses being investigated by the FCA over its distribution agreements?

October

84. Which Cambridge-based advisory firm opened new offices in a renovated chapel?

85. Name the Essex-based former IFA and critic of the RDR who lost his life to cancer?

86. What percentage of over-55s has made no plans for financing long-term care, according to the Equity Release Council?

87. Who was named director of UK IFA distribution at ETF Securities?

88. Aegon’s UK Retirement Choices platform garnered how much assets under administration?

November

89. The Association of Professional Financial Advisers was operating with how many staff after a string of departures in the past 18 months?

90. Name the advisory firm that bought its third IFA company since the implementation of RDR?

91. How many house repossessions were there for every 1000 households in the north, according to e.surv?

92. What percentage of people in the UK would avoid seeking financial advice on retirement saving?

93. Name the advisory firm that finished tenth in Financial Adviser’s top-100 advisers table for 2013?

94. Which private equity firm bought the investment intermediary Bestinvest?

95. Croydon-based adviser Mark Osland demanded compensation from which private medical insurance provider?

96. The FCA issued how many final notices since it was formed in April?

97. Which Cheshire-based advisory firm left the Sesame Network to go directly authorised?

December

98. What level has the Scottish government set for the single-tier state pension under independence?

99. UK house prices rose by how much in November year-on-year, according to the Nationwide?

100. What was the name of the financial adviser convicted of killing his client?

Please email entries to The Editor by 3 January 2014. Email fa.letters@ft.com. The winner will receive two bottles of wine from La Tour de Chollet.

All answers can be found on FTAdviser.com.

The Editor’s decision is final.