I have had some work done in my flat over past few weeks, insulation on inside walls and plastering.

The plumber came to put rad back on wall in bathroom, and never put earth wire back on.

I'd of thought earth wire in bathroom needs to be on, I phoned up to complain, and was told due to the fact the original wire it was connected to is now behind the insulation, it does not need connecting.

I do believe that is the biggest load of S@@te I have ever heard.

Or am I wrong?

No doubt someone will correct me if I'm wrong on anything.

From memory, they are basically correct.

In the "old" days (just a few years ago) you had to Earth and Cross Bond just about everything, but the regulations changed on I think the 17th edition as you now have to use ELCB (Earth Leakage Circuit Breakers) so if there was a problem it should cut all power.

The bathroom (in fact all "wet" areas) should be on a 30ma RCD anyway, so as long as the rest of it is all up to code, you're fine.

Thanks for that, I thought it was strange, as it was connected to a earth strap behind new wall, and from there it was connected to a big thick earth wire, that then goes up trunking, but no way to get to it now as its all been boarded over and plastered, I thought it should be connected for a reason, as I did not think it was there to decorate bathroom lol, but as you say things have changed and are changing all the time.

But if the rest of your house isn't up to 17th then it needs to be put back on.

Would it be ok to use a earth strap and just connect it to copper pipe. Or will it need to go back to original wire.

It depends what the copper pipe is connected to, that's why I said that "if the rest is up to code you'll be okay".

The 17th gives quite specific instructions about how the wiring should be, and they are quite right that the radiator doesn't need to be Earthed, but this is conditional on the ELCB being fitted.