Homeguard:
I'm usually the one pointing out that statistics used unintelligently are a bad thing, but I think whether they are "nonesense" or not depends on the user understanding what they actually measure and why. The people that can use statistics intelligently should be allowed to by having them! I don't expect it to happen generally, I just wish it would.
I admit if you dumb down the statistics enough and everyone only takes them at face value without intelligent thought, they can be useless. However if you don't have any statistics at all, you take out the chance of them being used intelligently.
My initial interest in having information available was due to rumours of a school having a secret 'delay first solo' policy - however good the student - invariably extending the PPL beyond 45 hours, which benefits whom? The school.
When you think about it, someone, especially close to London, is going to spend the sort of sum on a licence which could buy a new car. When they are buying a car, they can easily get independent 'test' reports and see information, including manufacturers supplied figures. They know that they probably won't get the manufacturers mileage figures, but they can use them as a guide and for discussion and comparison.
When they want to spend the same order of magnitude of cash on a pilots licence, what do they have for comparison information? I can't think of much - maybe they could be lucky to find a previous pupil for a reference, but the closest they get to pre-course measurement information may be the promise of a guaranteed PPL in Florida to be compared to.. what? And although I don't know, I'd bet you and I would have the same opinion about 'guaranteed ppls'.
I don't see why it's wrong to have information available to form the basis for investigation, discussions and choice. Learning to fly is a bit like losing virginity - too late if you decide you made the wrong choice. I'd better not pursue that analogy too far though.
The point of (civilian) instructors enjoying and nuturing the occasional individual pupil to a goal with more or less any means that works - well it sounds like we agree entirely - I've been saying that for years but I don't see it as a reason to keep information under wraps.
Sounds like CFS are doing a worthwhile review - presumably it's not just the wastage that has caused it - I would guess their supply volume is not as large as it used to be either (rise in asthma, etc)