Lautro 19 To Remain "Secret"

Lautro 19 To Remain "Secret"

Any hope of naming and shaming the Lautro 19 is now "dead and buried", according to former IFA Defence Union chief Evan Owen.

The Information Commissioner's office has stated that the High Court has ruled that the information falls under absolute exemption rules under the Freedom of Information Act, and therefore does not have to be disclosed.

The Information Commission ruled in August 2007 that the FSA had to name the mortgage endowment providers which misused Lautro projections in setting premiums, which lead to clients being given unrealistically high maturity figures (cynics might say that they were conned).

The hapless FSA, ever keen to protect the financial services industry from the consumer, appealed against the decision. In October 2008 the Information Tribunal rejected the FSA's appeal.

The FSA then took the appeal to the High Court, which upheld the appeal.

If only the FSA were as zealous when protecting the consumer!