I think its more like 40% first time pass in UK but who knows. I'm fed up of generalizations about whole countries. I thinks all countries have good and bad FTO's , I think that the UK test standards is the thing that is TOO high, not necessarily the training. (i've yet to see PPL training in the UK carried out as comprehensively as the schools I know of personally in the USA (obviously I dont have knowledge of all schools, just some))
The test fee is a ******* joke in the uk. I have decided to go to Aerofan as I have heard good things on this forum and they seem very organised and professional. Plus they are cheap. The test fee is only 250euros.
You get out what you put in and sometimes even more! I dont think my flying will suffer from doing my MEIR (conversion) in Spain instead of UK. I like the fact that I have learned to fly in various countries and FTO's, It gives me a bigger picture and allows me to meet lots more people.