Like I said 3500 flight plans handled by Heathrow FBU alone each month from april to september. I don't work in an FBU anymore, but I know for a fact that there are still large numbers filing over the phone, faxing from home or departure aerodrome or recieving via AFTN from those airfields equiped with AFTN.
Look , I don't disagree that this is a step in the right direction and in some ways it is well overdue, but we need to remember one thing here. SAFETY. I disagree hugely with your satements about VFR flight plans. Of the 3500 plans handled each month at least half are PPL VFR flight plans. These are kept for 6 months and I can remember on more than one occasion when BREST, PARIS, AMSTERDAM, BRUSSELS, SHANNON etc have all requested supplementory Information as Alerting Action had started. Routes on VFR plans ARE important, ANYONE READING THIS WHO FILES VFR-GIVE A GOOD NUMBER OF WAYPOINTS. If , and I remember having to do this , we have to give SAR authorities waypoints, at least it is on the FPL. FBU staff will trace the route and contact ALL aerodromes near the route to try and trace the aircraft in question. More often than not...they have diverted to an airfield for a variety of reasons, and have forgotten to tell anyone. But at least we can advise the relevant authorities.
I agree with the subject of Private or small carrier IFR flight planning facilities...I should know.
MOST IMPORTANTLY-VFR FPL's
These PLANS ARE LOOKED AT( By security Services too). This is SAFETY.
They ARE NOT thrown away. Or DISCARDED .