A decision to lift restrictions on referrals to independent financial advisers was made despite the majority of consultation respondents opposing the move, the Gazette has learned.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority decided last November to allow solicitors to refer clients to any financial adviser regardless of whether they are tied to a product.

The change followed a two-month consultation. Now it has emerged that 26 of the 47 respondents who expressed a preference opposed the rules – three law firms, one academic, two financial services representative bodies, 17 financial services businesses and the Law Society.

A spokesman for the SRA said the consultation was not intended to be a vote, but rather a conversation with members of the professions affected.

‘The aim of the consultation was not to ask people what they wanted. We had a proposed way forward and wanted to know if there were any issues that we had not already identified or thought were manageable, and that’s why we asked for comments.’