The big money is in support and development and the long term plan. Building new technical centres, moving out of West Drayton, New Prestwick Centre, new TC platform, NAS replacement with the Spanish system, Clacton, North Sea, Irish Sea, West End - the list is endless.
All of this needs to be done to bring an ATC system that has been the victim of chronic under investement into the 21st century.
It is very easy for the CAA and others to have a go. NATS has just had 18 months of record traffic, very low delay and shifts more traffic than any other ATC provider in Europe - by a distance.
That is expensive. By the way, Spanish ATCO's are paid a LOT more than ours. Now lets compare movements and traffic density and complexity.