I wondered why pull it out in the first place and if he got a little bend/hook like shape when cutting it ruin the other two conductor`s insulation, seemed like a mad thing to do, apparently it was then pointed out to him that if the fittings where then changed to metal that he would need to add an earthwire back in somehow. Some folk!
Mind you, just as daft, some years ago a joiner was doing a job on someones house in the evenings in his own time. He left a list at the loca; woodyard and the customer picked it up and paid for it. He told me that every so often he would turn up and some items missing, the customer had a habit of returning stuff he thought was not needed then had to return to re-purchase it.
Besides anything else it made the job more expensive due to additional labour and customer was not pleased at being "overcharged". LOL.
I had one similar on a rewire "Where is that box of Earth Clamps?" customer had thrown it away because as I had not used them she thought I did not need them (I ran out of time to put use them that day so left them for the following day).
Having been in the situation I can appreciate the customers doubts.
