Yup,
Comes from back in the dim and distant CAA in charge type times.
Back in those days there were two ways to becoming a pilot. First was to pay a wad of money to one of the few schools rated to provide a Cap509 course (either Oxford, Cabair, BAE Adelaide(Prestwick??) and one other). This was in essence the same as an integrated course today churning out 200 hour CPL/IR holders. These guys were prime candidates for airlines and as a result, people still cling to the hope that this is a prefered route into the airlines. Which in these enlightened days is complete toilet.
Everybody else use to do what was refered to as self improvers. Before you could sit the CPL or IR, you needed a minumum of 700 hours. Instead of a CPL at 200 hours, you had what was refered to as a Basic Commercial Pilots Licence (BCPL) to provide aerial work. One major difference to today is that PPL's used to be able to instruct for money (once a required level of experience was reached). Anyhoo, once they reached 700 hours, then the applicant sat their CPL and IR, and once successful were issued with a CPL/IR. Then these guys became prime candidates for airlines.
Hope this helps in some small way.