PCG Newsletter 12/02, 20 Mar 2002 - Work
Permit Skills Shortages
In this issue:
- Professional Contractors Group Calls to Amend Work Permits
Skills Shortage List
- Car Mileage Allowances
- PCG Elections
- Qdos Change of Address
- London IR35 Toolkit Seminars 20 March 2002
- Real Life Meetings
1. Professional Contractors Group Calls to Amend Work
Permits Skills Shortage List
The Professional Contractors Group are calling for Oracle
DBA's and C/C++ to be removed from the current Work Permits
skills shortage list.
The IT Skills Sector Panel, a board chaired by Work Permits
UK, decides what skills are in short supply, and helps define
the Tier 1 shortage occupation list that is used by Work
Permits UK to issue work permits ('fast-track visas').
http://www.workpermits.gov.uk/default.asp?pageid=2595
The removal of C\C++ and Oracle DBA's was discussed at the
last sector panel meeting when the PCG presented evidence
that these skills where currently freely available. We said
that many UK IT workers with those skills are currently
between contracts or out of work. It was agreed by the meeting
that Work Permits would contact absent sector panel members
(ATSCO and the CSSA) by email for agreement that these came
off the list. Two months later and this hasn't been completed
and the skills are still on the list. PCG is currently putting
pressure on Work Permits UK to resolve this.
The PCG's position is that the skills shortage list should
be a blank piece of paper at every sector panel meeting
and that groups should have to present evidence as to why
skills should be on the list, rather the PCG having to present
evidence to take skills off.
In preparation for the next skills sector panel meeting
the PCG has prepared a skills survey. We will use the evidence
collected to support the removal of skills from the shortage
list.
The survey can be filled in by clicking here:
https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/ftv/skillssurvey.html
This survey is for IT people, a separate survey will be
done for engineers. The survey is open to all IT workers,
whether contractors or permanent staff. It is targeted at
individuals and their skills.
2. Car Mileage Allowances
Following the question on car mileage allowances that PCG´s
Kevin Miller put to John Hinton of the Revenue, it has been
announced that contractors caught by IR35 will still be
able to claim their mileage costs under IR35. You can get
more details on the PCG Notice Board at
https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/threads/showpost.pl?f=Notice-424&p=0&v=c&s=5
3. PCG Elections
Nominations for the PCG Elections for the Consultative
Council have now closed. There are 35 candidates for the
30 vacant seats on the Council. Each PCG member may vote
for up to 30 candidates, with voting closing at 5:00 pm
on 18th April, 2002. You can vote at
https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/scripts/members/elections/2002/elections.pl
For more background info on the voting process, go to
https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/members/elections/2002/index.html
4. Qdos Change of Address
Qdos Consulting, the suppliers of the TLC35 insurance and
one of the contract review service suppliers, are moving
offices next Monday, 25th March. The next few days will
obviously be very hectic for them, so they would be grateful
if any non-urgent queries could wait until after the move
next Monday. They will endeavour to deal with urgent queries
as usual.
Their new details will be:
Qdos Consulting
Qdos Court
Rossendale Road
Earl Shilton
Leicestershire
LE9 2LY
Telephone Number: 01455 850000
Fax Number: 01455 841000
Their email address remains unchanged at
[email protected] or [email protected]
5. London IR35 Toolkit Seminars 20 March 2002
The IR35 Toolkit Seminar is in London again on Wednesday
20th March, at the New Connaught Rooms. Sessions are being
held at 2.00 pm and 7.00 pm. For more details, or to book
online, go to
https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/resources/seminar_02_02.html
Don´t forget that the seminar roadshow also visits
Aberdeen and Edinburgh in May. Click the link above for
more details on those venues.
REGIONAL NEWS
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Real Life Meetings
For the latest information and to start a local group see
https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/threads/wwwthreads.pl?a=l&f=meet
To promote your local meet through the newsletter
email [email protected]
with REGIONS in the subject matter, details of the event
and a name and email contact point/or phone number for further
information.
Switzerland
**********
A group based in Basel, Switzerland, is keen to meet more
members in the area. If you would like to go along to future
meetings, contact [email protected]
or see
https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/threads/showpost.pl?f=meet-4577&p=0&v=c&s=5
Thames Valley
**********
Farnborough -
Date: Wednesday 20th March
Time: 7.30 pm
Venue: Prince of Wales
Food afterward somewhere in Frimley
Holland
**********
Members of the Dutch chapter are organising a meeting in
Leiden.
Date: Wednesday 20th March
Time: 8:00pm
Venue: TBD, but will be handy for Leiden Centraal Station
Peterborough
**********
Date: Wednesday 20th March
Time: 8.00 pm
Venue: The Paul Pry
https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/threads/showpost.pl?f=meet-4477&p=0&v=c&s=5
Wilts/Glos/Worc/ etc
**********
Date: Wednesday 20th March
Time: 7:30 pm onwards
Venue: Golden Heart, Nettleton, Glos (near Birdlip on the
A419 between Cirencester and Cheltenham in Gloucestershire)
Brighton area
**********
Date: Thursday 21st March
Time: 6.00pm
Venue: the Jack & Jill, Clayton.
https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/threads/showpost.pl?f=meet-4530&p=0&v=c&s=5
Hertfordshire
**********
Date: Thursday 28th March
Time: 7:30 pm onwards
Venue: The White Horse, Mill Lane, Welwyn
https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/threads/showpost.pl?f=meet-4554&p=0&v=c&s=5
West Midlands
**********
Date: Thursday 4th April
Time: 7:00 pm onwards
Venue: Rose and Crown at Junction 3 of the M42
https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/threads/showpost.pl?f=meet-4609&p=0&v=c&s=5
Manchester
**********
Date: Friday 12th April
Time: 7:00 pm onwards
Venue: Waldorf Pub, Gore St (near Piccadilly Station)
https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/threads/showpost.pl?f=meet-4607&p=0&v=c&s=5
Please follow this link to Real Life meetings to get involved
https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/threads/wwwthreads.pl?a=l&f=meet
(having problems?? have you read this?...https://www.pcgroup.org.uk/members/discussion_forum.html
)
Alison Edwards
(PCG Executive Team)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
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