Mr Ellcock is entirely correct in his sad reflections on Part P (‘Poorly Part P', EMC, May, ).

It is something we have been lamenting on this page for many months. Now, however, in recent weeks all has become clear! We know that this particular legislation derived from the (now defunct) Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM), and indeed, I have surmised on this page that perhaps Part P may have stood for (P)athetic or (P)anic, but I was wrong. Part P will now forever be remembered as Part (P)rescott!

Whilst we were straining, much like the springs of Mr P's parliamentary office chair, to get to grips with the logic of Part P, the Big Man himself must have been sat there panting smugly after a particularly vigorous session with his secretary.

Now perhaps we understand why we get such useless and ill-thought out legislation from the ODPM. He is probably so exhausted from his ministerial actions that he can only clutch weakly at his pen and scribble his name on any piece of legislation that gets waved under his quivering nose.

One can only imagine the high level decisions that he must make on a daily basis: "Shall I order steak & kidney or mushroom pies? Which car shall I use today? Shall I use the parliamentary desk or the chair this afternoon…?"

What a pity the ECA and NICEIC don't have the guts to stand up sometimes against proposed legislation and say: "No, this is not what we want!" Mr P has shafted everybody - his wife, his mistress, his party - and now, through Part P, he is shafting every legitimate, highly-skilled electrician in this country.

Andrew Ferguson, Solent Power Systems, Southampton

Source

Electrical and Mechanical Contractor