The second question is this: Will I receive an EASA licence when I renew the MEP/ME-IR before the CPL expiry date or will I get the usual examiners signature in the ratings page of my JAR licence only and receive the EASA licence once the CPL expiry date has passed.
See:
http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/Informa...ice2014109.pdf
You may
now renew all the Ratings you wish
before you actually need to apply for a Part-FCL Licence.
An EASA licence cannot contain any non-EASA ratings therefore you couldn't have an IR and IR(R) as they are technically the same thing although this is just my opinion not fact.
Not True - They are different ratings so both can be held on a UK issued Part-FCL Licence at the same time.
Useful (in the UK) if one doesn't continuously need a full IR due to the IR(R) having a 25 month validity.
Provided they are carried out in an aircraft an ME IR or SE IR Test or LPC contains all the elements required of an IMC/IRR Test/LPC and can therefore be used for both purposes.
Technically it is not that a pass in an IR Test. of itself, extends the validity of an IRR, it is that an IRR Test profile has also been flown and passed.