Thank you Rolling Circle for what I regard an offensive reply to an innocent question.
I understand perfectly that my CPL is valid for 10 years and is therefore still valid. My request was for information which may have changed since I last flew regarding becoming 'legal' to fly.
Regarding my comments about instructing you have clearly grossly misconstrued these. All I was saying is that with my experience I would hope to go to flight deck rather than having to go back through the instructor route. I gained an excellent reputation as an instructor and enjoyed it immensely. I did not enjoy the 7UKP per flying hour that it paid and I don't think I could afford to go back to it. In fact it is this which led to me having to spend 2 years financially recovering.
Regarding instrument rating renewal your comment have urged me to get formal advice. I don't believe that I have to do the whole damned thing again - that's riddiculous. Although I agree with your comment regarding slackness under the system a couple of years ago. I was amazed at how the renewal was treated like a bit of a jolly with everyone passing; some just had to have a second go. I had prepared hard for that renewal as I would for the forthcoming one.
Regarding the simulator at Oxford (which are technically known as procedural trainers) my experience on this counts towards an airline career because my flying involved use of complex systems identical to those in use in a multicrew environment. I said nothing about booking the time although your comment about this time being wasted sounds to me like you have a grudge against individuals who have bettered themselves at their own expense to get more valuable flight deck experience.
Regarding your comments on CAAFU, my grandmother still talks of the Shilling but I know what she means.