THE Financial Services Authority has had its first request for hitherto undisclosed information under the Freedom of Information Act. It comes from an organisation that claims to speak for downtrodden independent financial advisers and was filed, with a clear head, the person responsible insists, at 10am on New Year’s Day.

The body wants to see the legal opinion used to decide that the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA) was compatible with the Human Rights Act 1998, and in particular, the opinion relied on by Gordon Brown at the time. The applicant does not much care for the FSMA, which empowers the regulator.

The FSA has two weeks to give a view. So far, the classic “We’ll let you know” message has gone out, pointing out that there are various exemptions “which may prevent release of the information you have requested”. Hard to see how counsel’s opinions on an Act of Parliament can be confidential.

A GOOD idea from Peter Moore, town crier for the Mayor, the London Assembly and the London boroughs. He, like many of us, has received a note from the Inland Revenue after sending in his tax form last autumn. He was told he had overpaid by about £500, and asked if he wanted a cheque or for it to come off future tax bills. Moore requested a cheque, and then sent off the same amount to one of the tsunami charity appeals. “If I didn’t know I had the money, I’ m not going to miss it,” he reasons.

Cash for Cass

CASS Business School has landed a high-profile catch to run its new programme of wresting donations from alumni and other wealthy individuals. As I wrote a few months ago, Cass, part of City University, has been set free for the first time to seek cash from outside.

The school has hired as its first development director the woman responsible for raising money from individuals for the various Tate galleries. The Tate has an awesome record for raising cash, and Paola Barbarino moves across to the University from Monday.

Henrietta Royle, at Cass, whom many will remember from her time in the City, says: “It’s a very, very specialised area and in this country there aren’t a lot of people who are any good and have delivered.”

I HAVE mentioned before the splendid efforts of Michigan Lawsuit Abuse Watch, which campaigns against the litigation culture in the US and every year gives an award to the stupidest warning label on a consumer product. Runners-up this year include a scooter for children that points out that “this product moves when used” and an electric hand blender that advises you not to put your hand in while the blades are turning. But the winner is a toilet brush that warns users: “Do not use for personal hygiene.”

If only . . .

SOMEONE is selling the site www.intelligentfinance.com on e-Bay, news which comes as a surprise to HBOS, the bank that owns the Intelligent Finance online banking business. HBOS is not much inclined to put up the $100,000 (£53,000) minimum bid the seller wants, and nor, I imagine, will anyone else. “They won’t be able to trade under it either,” says the bank, which uses www.if.com for its own website. Indeed. But I notice they have also failed to register intelligentfinance.co.uk which is uncomfortably close to their business. I suggest to them that they get a move on.

city.diary@thetimes.co.uk

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