I'll chip in again with a few facts.
1. The BGA has self regulated UK gliding - very successfully I might add - since 1948 (or so). It has not operated under delegation from the CAA or it predecessor the MAT. Technically UK gliding has been 'outside regulation' except for compliance with the ANO, radio regulations and airspace regulations. Hang gliding and para gliding - a different governing body - is also unregulated but subject to the same compliance framework, ANO etc.
2. That is now changing (for gliding) with the advent of EASA, without any safety case put forward by the European 'system' to justify regulatory capture in 2002
3. Class G airspace is 'uncontrolled'. That's where glider pilots fly in cloud, sometimes. Not in controlled airspace.
4. The long term fatal accident rate in UK gliding is c.3 p.a. Of course, when comparing accident rates it is statistically sensible to measure the rate by reference to activity levels. Which for UK gliding is relatively easy because it is a club-based activity with recording of launches and hours. Not so easy with power flying to collect the activity stats. That's why making comparisons is difficult. I spent some time last year (with others from the UK, including the DfT) on an ECAC committee looking at the question of compiling GA stats on a consistent basis across the EU, and not just accident stats.
5. As I quoted in an earlier posting, I can recall only 4 power / glider mid-airs over something like 30+ years. All were in VFR conditions. I cannot recall any power / glider collisions in cloud over this period, though of course I may be wrong. And maybe one or two glider / glider mid-airs in non VMC in that time -one a few years ago involving one of the sport's most experienced cross country pilots, near his base club.
6. The EASA Licensing NPA does not include an IMC power-flying rating or glider cloud flying qualification in the sub ICAO LPL, though there is the inherited JAA IFR in the ICAO compliant licence proposals. The lack of IMC rating because there is no equivalent in the rest of Europe. But EASA is establishing a working group this autumn to consider this and is reportedly keen to have such a rating. The cloud flying qualification was recommended by the EASA sub group under the chairmanship of a senior Belgrano official, endorsed by the group I sit on, but the higher level FCL working group, with a majority of 'JAR thinkers' on it, took it out because they thought it was a back door route to an IFR for touring motor gliders (the proposed glider pilot licences would include a TMG rating but it was never suggested or intended that the cloud flying qualification was designed to be available for the TMG rating). The FCL group did not even consider the case of 'pure glider' pilots. I can tell you, that has to be reinstated because otherwise gliding will be taking a huge backward step. I am confident it will be resolved.