The UK CAA will give different answers to written questions, phoned questions, and questions made in person.
On top of that, there are many very good people in there but the chance of an email reaching one of them is quite small - unless you get a contact name from somebody.
It is also the case that various concessions have always existed in aviation, and that most regulators will do their best to keep an existing experienced pilot flying (while readily denying entry to a newcomer) but these concessions are not advertised and you are not going to get them in writing.