Yes, the platinum-plated UK IR was once described to me by a CAA Examiner as "The last chance we have of weeding out someone who wouldn't be suitable for the airlines".....
Suitability for commercial employment should more reasonably be assessed as part of a commercial pilot licence test, whereas assessment of the applicant's ability to fly an aircraft by sole reference to instruments should be the sole function of an instrument rating test.
Neither is there any logical reason why an initial IR Skill Test must be conducted by a CAA Staff Examiner.