Re: Let me get this straight...
I believe that in the case of FCA approval, even spent convictions can be a factor in the application process;
"We take all criminal convictions seriously. However, crimes where the individual has acted with
dishonesty are of particular concern, even when the convictions are ‘spent’. This is because we
must assess whether to approve someone to perform a controlled function(s) relating to other
people’s finances. Parliament has recognised this by giving us a specific exemption to the
Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974."
https://www.fca.org.uk/publication/archive/fsa-factsheet-approval.pdf