Sorry, but the CAA's hands are undoubtedly tied by the JAR-FCL stipulations.
How did he obtain an NPPL (SSEA) with such low FI time? Or had he held a UK PPL sometime in the dim and distant?
Personally, I feel that since he hasn't flown any MEP aeroplane for nigh on 38 years, it would be a less than clever idea to skip on any of the training and testing requirements as laid down. They're very reasonable.