Governance update
Process and Standards Group (PSG)
The PSG met in two sessions in February. The first was a Focus Session that discussed decumulation processes for input into the Market Landscape Review exercise. The second was a Plenary Session, where the Group discussed the progress of Standards development projects as well as talking about delivery of FCA FRN format changes.
The group also met in March to discuss the potential impact of the Spring Budget 2023 and agreed there was no immediate impact.
All inputs and minutes are available on our website to those who have access.
Standards Technical Architecture Group (STAG)
Criterion will continue to liaise with the STAG on the technical direction of Standards, and how the emergence and adoption of new technologies will shape their future.
There have been no recent meetings with the group and no further meetings are planned.
Standards projects
LoA Standards development
Development project to develop Standards to support the Letter of Authority fulfilment process for DB, DC pensions, annuities, protection and investment products.
Phase 3 - Protection
Awaiting confirmation from the Working Group if demand exists for OpenAPI and JSON versions of LoA Protection Standards.
Phase 4 - LoA Request
The LoA Request schemas will be published shortly.
Future Milestones - Q2 2023
- Complete technical development of Draft A LoA Request Standards;
- Publish LoA Request Standards.
Occupation Codes List Update
Update Implementation Group
Supporting industry adoption of the revised occupation codes standard used in quotations and new business processes.
- The final lists, v3.1 and a combined v2 to v3.1 occupations list have been published.
- Providers agreed to support the combined v2.0 and 3.1 of the occupations list but requested that the implementation window becomes H2 2024.
- They were reminded that providers implementing the combined list could implement at any time without disruption to their existing partners.
Future Milestones - Q3 2023
- A further meeting will be arranged for Quarter 3 2023 to review current development plans.
Group Risk Quotes and Placement
Project to develop Standards for Group Risk Quotes (GRQ); similar Re-Pricing and Rate Review processes; and Placement.
- The BRD Draft E was signed off in January and the Candidate Design was agreed with the GRQ Working Group. A detailed plan has been developed and the GRQ Standards technical development will commence in June to deliver JSON and OpenAPI Standards for GLA for New Business, Rate Review and Re-Pricing with the Draft A Standards being published late summer 2023.
- Some analysis for the Placement process has been carried out internally.
Future Milestones - May
- Commence technical development of the GRQ Standards for GLA New Provider, Rate Review and Repricing for Request and Response;
- Continue analysis for GRQ Placement for GLA.
Enhanced CIC Research
Research activity to investigate the potential to support Enhanced Critical Illness Cover (CIC) / Children’s Critical Illness Cover within the Protection Quotes and New Business Standards.
Progress
- Feedback received from Research Group on Problem Definition Report (PDR) suggesting a further meeting be held to determine whether any further activity should take place or that the research concludes.
- Research Group meeting arranged for early May.
Future Milestones - May
- Meeting of Research Group to agree next steps / outcomes of this Research.
BAU Change Requests
Ongoing activity in relation to maintenance of current Standards via change management process.
Progress
- Work continues to finalise ‘Provisional Build’ Standards amended as a result of 7-digit FRNs.
Future Milestone - May
- Continue finalisation of Standards updated for 7-digit FRNs;
- Review current policy of Provisional Builds in all cases and report outcomes to PSG.
Standards published since last update
- Version 3.9 of Quotes Bonds
- Version 3.9 of New Business Bonds
- Version 3.11 of New Business Protection
- Version 3.11 of Quotes Protection
- Version 3.9 of New Business Endowments
- Version 3.1 of Occupation Codes List
- Version 3.9 of Quotes Endowments
- Version 2.2 of HTTP Message Transmission
- Version 2.1 of HTTP Message Transmission
- Version 1.3 of HTTP Message Transmission
- Version 2.5 of Contract Enquiry Pensions Valuation
- Version 3.10 of Quotes Individual Pensions
- Version 2.4 of New Business Annuities
- Version 3.10 of New Business Individual Pensions
- Version 3.10 of Quotes Group Pensions
- Version 3.10 of New Business Group Pensions