When is a pie not a pie? UK definition petition

So, do pies have pastry all round?

Or just on top?

Or do they not even need pastry at all?

Here's a petition to the UK government asking them to make wrongly describing a casserole with a pastry lid as a pie a criminal offence. Honestly!

Here's the link - http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/64629

Further proof that no matter what crazy idea you can come up with, there is a group of people on the internet backing that idea. By the quote they give, their argument is invalid.

.., typically with a top and base of pastry...

Typically. As in not always. Ignoring the history of pies, it would seem that forks and spoons do not exist in this particular area of the UK, as such pies are apparently difficult to eat. Do you suppose he ordered a Shepherd's pie or something like it and tried to eat it out of hand like a slice of pie might manage?

D. Logan wrote: Do you suppose he ordered a Shepherd's pie or something like it and tried to eat it out of hand like a slice of pie might manage?

"Exemptions will apply for Shepherds, Cottage and Fish Pies."

Not sure how I missed that. I don't usually have something cause my eyes to glaze over so quickly. That ends up making even less sense then. What exactly was being called a pie that didn't fall into the same sort of category as those exceptions? Any one of those could be argued to be a casserole with a lid to it really. I suppose I have seen a few chicken pot pies that only use a top crust, but it seems odd to distinguish it.