Part P again - I invite you to sign my Petition to the Prime Minister

[Roger Mills]

A few weeks ago, in the discussion about nominating Part P for Radio 4's Christmas Repeal award, the suggestion was made that an alternative approach would be to raise a No. 10 petition - which I have duly done. I am aware that there is already one about abolishing Building Regs in general - but that one doesn't have a prayer, and mine is far more specific.

You can find it at

petition says: "We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to carry out an urgent review into the way in which Part P of the Building Regulations operates in practice, and to make changes designed to re-establish high levels of electrical safety without imposing unnecessary practical and financial constraints on professional electricians or competent DIY enthusiasts."

The 'More details' section says: "Part P isn't working! The number of relevant fatalities has more than doubled since its introduction [Hansard 98144] probably due to the use of dangerous temporary 'lash-ups' rather than safe fixed wiring ? thus avoiding the hassle and expense of complying with Part P. There is no evidence to indicate that there has ever been a problem with non-professionally installed fixed wiring. Self certification imposes a substantial overhead on small electrical firms. Complying with Part P is very difficult and expensive for amateur electricians ? encouraging the use of less safe, exempt options. Even when part of a larger project, many Building Control departments are illegally refusing to perform Part P testing within the scope of the Building Regs fee. In summary, Part P is counter-productive and should be scrapped. At very least, its scope should be substantially reduced by, for example, exempting all installation work in domestic premises on the householder's side of the Consumer Unit."

I wanted to say rather more than that - but the 'more details' part has a strictly enforced 1000 character limit, so I had to condense it dramatically.

I hope that you will all be able to support it.

[Brian]

waste of time, there is a petition to get the pm to juggle whilst eating ice cream - that will be more effective.

[Roger Mills]

Are you saying that *all* petitions are a waste of time, just because there are a few frivolous ones?

The one on road pricing now has nearly half a million signatures - and is still going at a rate - so the powers that be would wise to take notice!

I'm not expecting mine to be *quite* that popular - but it may have an effect - who knows?!

If you support the principle, it doesn't cost much to sign!

[Adrian Simpson]

In article , Roger Mills writes

That is as may be, however there is substantial evidence to suggest that the powers that be aren't wise. There is evidence to suggest that number 10 don't bother to track the support the petitions get. Pity really because they are a good idea.

Adrian

[Andy Cap]

It's definitely better than doing b****r all !

Andy

[Steve]

Done! Good luck.

Steve.

[Harry Bloomfield]

Done and good luck with it.

[Colin Wilson]

Pretty much so, its a way of pretending the poor minority not in power have *some* say in what happens.

Personally, I did this one...

the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Enforce honesty and impartiality in Government.

Prevent politicians from receiving an income from any source other than a company they own or personal investments / family trust funds.

Open their bank accounts to public scrutiny - allow only UK bank accounts to be held.

After their term is complete, pay them for a further six months but only allow them to work for charities / non-profit (not lobbyist) organisations.

-----

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember "Brian" saying something like:

Where do I sign?

[Mike Dodd]

For what it is worth... Done.

[Bob Eager]

Likewise and ditto.

[djc]

[meow2222]

the govt thinks its done that already, except the financial constraints on diyers bit, which is exactly what it wants to achieve.

I dont think theyre gonig to care. Its only if it becomes a widespread perceived issue that they'll want to be seen to be doing something.

this was only an excuse to get it passed, theyre not interested either way.

thats one of the points of it

and in many cases pro jobs, resulting in more of our money being taken. Its an old game.

You can tell the govt that all you want, they see it as getting just what they want, so are going to read it and smile.

runs counter to what they want and have already got.

If these polls are going to have any chance you need to start by understanding the games being played. The first thing to do with part p is educate the public about its hypocrisy and lethal aspect. And thats what a petition does - and the only thing a petition does. HM Gov doesnt even bother to read them.

So keep up the good work, but for quite different reasons.

NT

[Roger Mills]

So are you going to sign it (on the basis that it at least helps to educate the public)?

[meow2222]

yes, already have. But it refused to accept it with no email addy.

NT

[Roger Mills]

Yes, it will! They have to send you an email containing a unique URL for you to click on to prove that you are 'genuine'.

If you're worried about your email address being abused, can't you make one up for this pupose? I use pm@{my_user_name}.{my_ISP}.co.uk - which comes to my email account, but I shall know who to blame if any spam arrives at it!

[djc]

try using

[Ed Sirett]

If over 1 million people turn up _in person_ to say something and Phony Bliar (and the others) take no notice. What chance has an mere petition got?

Old style politics is dead and irrelevant. Except that the Westminster people are still making laws (and that the more trivial the matter the better it is enforced).

Writing a letter addressed personally to a minister or via your MP costs them a lot of work directly and indirectly and they will take notice, but they still won't change their policies.

[Brian Sharrock]

AIUI; a letter addressed to a Minister will be answered by a under-under-under-clerk with a formulaic 'The Minister has noted your letter .... ' A letter from your MP will (should) be answered by somebody who actually knows the minister ... (even if they don't actually talk to each other) . A letter sent to one Minister _and_ another Minister (preferably reporting to a different Secretary of State) _and_ your MP _and_ copied to an outside organisation (RAC, Which, BBC, Newspaper, fr'instance) causes a considerable amount of internal correspondence as they attempt to co-ordinate Reponses. In the Civil Service, the Registry rules! As Ed says ; " ... costs them a lot of work directly and indirectly and they will take notice, but they still won't change their policies. "

[Doctor Drivel]

Peel back mandatory safety checks? The equivalent of removing the MOT. Forget it, you will be laughed at.