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
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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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