Its strange you say not reporting is the Norm, where is your evidence of this??
Our club is a club of nearly 100 members and the FLO visits and takes boxes of bits and bobs away even things that dont look like anything special. We even have to go and meet her at other times at the local museum to report our finds.
Why not actually go and see for yourself what happens instead of trying to back up your thoughts with "speculative" figures.
What has happened in the past I cannot do anything about, things are improving but by this strange change of stance you just stir up the hornets nest of mistrust.
I suppose some detectorists may not like the idea of wanting a licence because they may see it as a step backwards towards what some want on here, a blanket ban. To me when you speak about us its seems that your vehement attitude does not simply want licencing.