Lead based solder

No it wasn't. Europe's main interest is the use of the common IEC socket. Prescott is to blame for Part P.

Bull. Nothing in the Deputy-Prime-Minister's-Department documentation refers to any EU Directive/Communication or any such. Overt justification was 'safety', shown at the time and subsequently admitted to be bogus (they used numbers for 'electrical fires' which included appliances (over 90% of the cause), and firemen's 'not sure but prolly lextrical' reports). Real reason was to bring small cash jobs into the documented, through-the-books, taxed world. Unintended consequences - polarising supply of leccy services for householders into gold-plated thru-the-books and even more cash-in-hand who-cares jobs.

Nice one, Mr Prescott. P'raps if you were as close to your roots as your image-makers try to paint you, you'd've foreseen the effect on 'ordinary hard-working families'. And pigs might sprout wings...

Does Part P have anything to say about unexpected installation of photovoltaic panels ?

I suppose you could consider solder as an "electronic component" and therefore exempt :-)

Not unless they're in a bathroom or kitchen ;-)

However, I expect a Gummint Target for their erection soon enough. No requirement to *connect* them, mind - and it'll be for the marginally-useful photovoltaics, rather'n the simpler and more useful solar water heating...

Stefek

Or outside ;-) ;-)

Owain

I don't think lead free solder would be much good in the stained glass window trade.