Hi folks,
Well as an IR holder (and previous IMC holder) as well as an instructor i think the privilages & minima are quite clear.
You must remember that obstacles on the approach and in the surrounding area may case the plate minima + 200' to be HIGHER than your 500/600' minima...therefore it would be prudent (and hence recommended - not the wording) to ensure that you are above the IR minima.
The minima is...
The highest of:
1. 500' precision, 600' non-precision
or
2. OCH + PEC (precision) or OCH (non-precision)
or
3. circling minima if the intended approach will not land on the instrument approach's runway.
It is recommended that you add 200' to no.2 due to the nature of the difference between IMC & IR training. The reason the wording is the way it is, is that take RAF Brize Norton, precision approach gives something like 280' dh from the plate + pec. +200 to this - still means you only get 480' - therefore you can only fly to 500'.
The only time with an IMC rating you could legally fly to approach plate minima (+PEC) is when no2 above comes out at 500' or above on a precision app, and 600' or above on a non-precision.
In all cases extreme cold temp error corrections should be applied to the result.
I hope this clears it up.
FF