The whole episode is quite worrying from a NATS viewpoint IMHO. Especiallly if you witness the ignorance of professionals on the R&N forum as to what NATS is actually responsible for.
It is a shame that the contractor (NATS) had to take the stand and make the unpopular announcements when the regulator or the Government should have stepped up to the plate.
'All' NATS does is provide a service under contract - a contract that details the rules which NATS must abide by.
Harman's lack of basic understanding is a worry considering just 2 months ago she declared that the UK Air Transport infrastructure needed shaking up, inferring at the time that her department would be doing 'the shaking'.