Field in sight,
A good idea of how long a student will take I find is to get their age and add 25 to it. Amazingly this gives a pretty good guide!!
Personally I've had a number of students in the U.K who've finished in around a month, and this has been at all times of the year. I admit in winter it can be a bit hit and miss, but we fly alot more often than not even then.
As to having a different instructor every time, no flying school wants this, some places are more prone to it than others and sometimes it is unavoidable (even flying instructors have holidays sometimes! Cheap ones tho'!!
) But it is certainly not more likely in this country than anywhere else.
Slim you've certainly hit the nail on the head about currency. Not many people in the U.K can afford to do more than a couple of hours a month and lets face it that's not enough to keep current in most cars, let alone aircraft.
More experienced instructors getting more money? That'd be nice can't see it catching on here anytime soon unfortunately.