The current state of confusion stems from an error made by the CAA - which they have admitted in committee.
The definitive re-validation and renewal requirements have now been completely re-drafted in accordance with the NPPL P&SC's original intentions. But as it takes an age to amend the ANO, the stop-gap AIC was issued earlier in the year to clarify current legislation. The AIC was also
supposed to have made it clear that it is only a stop-gap until the
corrected legislation is in place...but was printed before that statement was received
The re-drafted requirements will now go to the CAA's legal department; hopefully they will then be submitted to Parliament and will become law in the next ANO amendment later in the year.
Please don't blame any of the aviation groups represented on the NPPL P&SC for this gross cock-up - it wasn't our fault! And we've spent a heck of a lot of time trying to sort out the resulting mess!