Vectors, it worries me that your post says that you still have to treat pilots as if they were children. I am concerned about what that says about firstly, your attitude to pilots, and secondly about why you feel this need. There is ample provision through NATS and CAA SRG to reports shortfalls in performance. If increasing numbers of pilots are failing to report headings or speed restrictions or other details when requested, then this is worrying, and should be addressed through the regulatory and safety bodies.
The other aspect of treating pilots that way is that it is using a poor attitude as a weapon. If a pilot were to treat a controller that way, I bet the result would be a little rerouting and extended spell in the hold!
By the way, to whomever it was who asked whether I flew an AWACS - no, I don't, but remember that we have TCAS. We can therefore see everything around us out to twelve miles that's squawking. We can also see when we're being vectored miles out of our way so that a based aircraft can be first on the ILS.
What about slots?
I also said that when I deliberately do not follow ATC instructions, I will tell you, and tell you the reason. Anyone who doesn't do so deserves to be hung up by the toenails, or at least have a helping of tea and biccies with the Fleet Manager.
And finally, your point about apparent incompetence of pilots. Some PPLs (and some, but thankfully fewer CPL/ATPLs) are incompetent. I know of one or two incompetent controllers, as well. Can you imagine the frustration when you're away from the gate, through no fault of your own, significantly late, and are trying as hard as you can to make up the delay, you call "Approaching the hold, ready immediate", then are told "Hold position, landing traffic" and realise that the "landing traffic" is a PA28 at five miles? By no means an uncommon situation.
On the same theme, I appreciate also the frustration a controller experiences when trying to clear a backlog, has negotiated with RDR a gap to squeeze two away and the one in front that said he was "ready immediate" then sits on the threshold for three minutes while he looks for his sunglasses....
But we're none of us perfect. As I've said time and again.
Have any controllers who, like Asda and Vectors, seen an increase in failure to report details as requested, taken it up through normal channels? Yes, this forum is useful, but official it ain't.