I don't believe anybody ever said EC(UK) registration was a way of gaining registration with the HPC "through the back door". Those of us who can't get on VRCT will have to jump through the hoops as required when (if) registration ever comes in. Registering as an engineer/technician is something I am doing because I think it may help me in the future, not because I think it will allow me to sneak on the HPC register.