What makes me dubious about the "motives" behind this is the fact that this is a "VFR" rating yet people are taking this course becasue they can get in with reduced medical standards??? Now surley good eyesight is more relevant VFR flight than IFR flight?? If the standard has been set for so many years, why on earth must it change now? The requirements for a Class 2 are not that stringent.
I honestly think that this is a way of increasing revenue, not a means to encourage people into the skies. I am 40hrs into a PPL, I will hopefully done and ready on 45hrs. At 30hrs I wasn't close to being confident enough to live up to the responsibilities of a full liscence. I could pootle about the skys pretty safely, but only in a limited capacity. I will also say I'm a fast learner, I have bags of natural talent as far as flying is concerned.
If the NPPL is tested to the standards I expect it to be then 99% of pilots are going to take 45-50hrs to get the NPPL still! Aftrer all who does 3hrs VOR training??? All of the instrument nav can be taught in about 20mins!