Census boy I was actually having a pop at what dedstikyfingerz was saying regarding putting training at (shock horror) unlicenced airfields. I was using Popham as a good example of the facilities available at an unlicenced airfield. The facilities may be relatively basic but they are better than those at some licensed fields I've been to.
BEagle I think the 100 question exam would give the knockers of the NPPL more grist for their mill. Keeping the existing exams ensures that standards are seen to be maintained. As you said, they are not that hard if you've done the work.
Regarding the CPL for instructors issue, I don't see why this is a requirement of PPL or NPPL instructors apart from the fact it was easier to impose a BCPL, as was, on the FI's rather than change the ANO to allow instructing for hire & reward by a PPL holder with an FI rating.
To pick up on another point, there are indeed plenty of JAR-FCL FIs around at the moment. How many will there be in five years time as the airline industry picks up? Will there be the same flow of people instructing and moving on? Probably I suppose, but it doesn't make it better for the bods who want to be instructors and not airline pilots as it maintains the status quo of crap pay, long hours and insecurity.