CAA STICKS FOOT IN MOUTH - AGAIN

This email exchange with the CAA prompts us to wonder what kind of criteria the CAA applies when deciding if a body like "British Parachute Association Limited, trading as British Skydiving, meets the requirements to hold the approval that has been granted to it.".

From: Philip Clarke <Philip.Clarke@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2021 at 17:25
Subject: FW: Tony Butler and the HSE
To: bpawatch@gmail.com <bpawatch@gmail.com>

Dear Mr Canard

I am writing in response to your email of 29 March 2021 to Richard Moriarty and Rob Bishton, in which you sought the CAA’s view on comments made by Tony Butler of British Skydiving (the trading name of British Parachute Association Ltd) in relation to the Health and Safety Executive.

It is not appropriate for the CAA to comment on statements made by another party, even where that party holds an approval granted by the CAA. The CAA is, and continues to be, satisfied that British Parachute Association Limited, trading as British Skydiving, meets the requirements to hold the approval that has been granted to it.

Kind regards

Philip Clarke (he/him)

Business Manager to the Chair and Chief Executive

At the CAA we respect agile working so, while it suits me to send this now, please only respond to this email inside your normal working hours.

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From: BPA Watch <bpawatch@gmail.com>

Sent: Monday, March 29, 2021 6:21:49 AM
To: Richard Moriarty <Richard.Moriarty@xxxxxxx>; Rob Bishton <Rob.Bishton@xxxxxxx.>
Subject: Tony Butler and the HSE

Dear Sirs,

In a letter dated 8.2.2021 to the Parachute Training Organisation Association, your delegated parachuting regulator Tony Butler of the British Parachute Association aka British Skydiving openly expressed in writing for the first time his well-known aversion to the Health and Safety Executive and its regulations.

Mr Butler wrote: "If British Skydiving did not exist, either the CAA would need to take on the role and reproduce what the Association does, at a far higher cost, or there is a danger the HSE would likely carry out the role.".

As, respectively, CEO and Safety Officer of the CAA, would one or both of you give BPA Watch a comment on the record about Mr Butler's extraordinary statement? Do you condone or agree with this hostility to HSE regulations?

We can supply a copy of Mr Butler's letter if necessary.

Regards,

Don Canard for BPA Watch