Northern Ireland

Hefty grants are at long last being offered to kick start natural gas training.

Anyone working in the province will be faced with crippling costs and learning schedules, given there is much oil and LPG as well as natural gas now.

It is said that an additional 669 operatives are needed.

We suggested some time ago that approaches be made to gas transporters or suppliers to fund the necessary training. The CITB is inviting interested parties to contact them regarding the substantial grants and details are in TGI.

There is no mention of improved training facilities. Perhaps Phoenix should combine with the CITB and HMG to scrap the grants and build an assessment/training facility within the province, providing heavily subsidised course options across the whole range.

Vested interests should not expect Installers to subsidise their ambitions.

Defections

A staggering 51 registrations have been terminated through failure to renew ACS (page 18).

Quality Mark

Despite alleged support for the Quality Mark scheme Corgi cynically continue to accept advertising from people who have appeared recently on the House of Horrors type TV series. Regainuk* is currently assisting one couple who have been ripped off and once the matter is resolved it will be reported on in our Issues section.

SEDBUK

It seems a pity they do not have a SEDGUK for gas fires. More curious irony but SEDBUK (page 8) appears alongside mention of the Hearth and Home Exhibition which excels at promoting profligate waste of fossil fuels and carbon emissions. The best in any SEDGUK database might possibly make it into SEDBUK Band D, which it is expected will become illegal next year ?

* [Editor's note 2007 - Regainuk was the forerunner to Gas-News]