166.This section amends sections 23 and 24 of the 2007 Act (which relate to the handling by relevant professional organisations of conduct complaints). The changes made to section 23 extend the meaning of a “handling complaint” so that it also includes a complaint which relates to the way in which a regulatory complaint has been dealt with by a relevant professional organisation (this section previously only covered complaints about the manner in which conduct complaints were dealt with by relevant professional organisations).
167.Where a relevant professional organisation receives a report under section 24 that contains a recommendation relating to it, it must notify the Commission the person who made the handling complaint and any other party to the conduct complaint or regulatory complaint, about whether it will comply with the recommendation (and if not, why not). Where the Commission receives such a notification, or where they are of the opinion that the relevant professional organisation has not complied within 3 months, the Commission may direct the organisation to comply (and the organisation is required to comply).
Background Part 3 - Complaints Section 62 – Handling complaints