The professional bodies that only issue SPSs to members

In a move seemingly at odds with the regulator's explicit promise that advisers would not need to join an accredited body to obtain the obligatory statement of professional standing (SPS), the Institute of Financial Planning (IFP), Chartered Insurance Institute (CII), Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI), the Chartered Institute of Bankers in Scotland (CIOBS) and the CFA Society of the UK all say membership will be mandatory. Only the Institute of Financial Services (IFS) said it would likely offer SPSs to non-members. Is this fair? The FSA says that, as at leas...