This new Publicly Available Specification (PAS) has attracted some comment on the BB. Also, both we and BSI are receiving quite a lot of calls asking about it. So, hopefully, an update will not be too boring for the BB. As a result of admin problems within BSI in obtaining comment from relevant committees, the comments will not be able to be considered until early January. Thereafter, the time for production will depend to a large extent on how much comment there is and how much the draft needs to change in response to the comment. However, it now looks like it will be published in March. Unfortunately, it can no longer be called PAS 999. The reason is that a well known fire training establishment is alleged to have handed out copies of the draft on disk (no less!) as part of training courses on fire risk assessment. Aside from the flagrant breach of copyright that this would constitute (a matter that is receiving further action), it has not been made clear to recipients of these illicit copies (so we have been informed) that the document they have been given was merely an early draft that went on very limited private circulation (and not to the establishment in question). BSI are now extremely concerned by this and that, once the document is published, there will be confusion between the illicit early draft (which has changed significantly and is now a worthless document) and the actual published version. BSI's conclusion is that, as a result of this alleged unprofessional behaviour by persons unknown (for the moment unkown anyway!), they will need to change the number of the PAS. The new number will not be revealed by BSI until actual publication to prevent a repeat of the problem. If anyone needs further info they are welcome to contact ourselves or BSI. For obvious reasons, both BSI and ourselves are interested to hear from anyone who received the illicit version by the means described above.
