PhD and Master by research on various universities in UK have declined in quality ?

This doesn't reflect the quality of the programme, only of the administration. Every university I have ever read at or worked for has crap admin with the exception of Oxford, and that's because they still do everything localised in the Colleges.

Crappy administration also indicates falling quality. Academics, students have to regularly deal with administration, it that's crappy, soon everything is going to blow up. One of the reasons professors were on strike and students paid the price. They were not even replying to research request emails. Explains the falling ranks of UK universities except Oxbridge. My interaction with Cambridge was very fine, the administration quickly solved complex queries.

Crappy administration also indicates falling quality. Academics, students have to regularly deal with administration, it that's crappy, soon everything is going to blow up. One of the reasons professors were on strike and students paid the price. They were not even replying to research request emails. Explains the falling ranks of UK universities except Oxbridge. My interaction with Cambridge was very fine, the administration quickly solved complex queries.

Lecturers were not striking due to poor admin, and it minimises the reasons they were striking to suggest otherwise.

Also as someone that used to work at Cambridge in a non-academic position I assure you the admin there is barely more sophisticated than a couple of tin cups held together with string

Crappy administration also indicates falling quality. Academics, students have to regularly deal with administration, it that's crappy, soon everything is going to blow up. One of the reasons professors were on strike and students paid the price. They were not even replying to research request emails. Explains the falling ranks of UK universities except Oxbridge. My interaction with Cambridge was very fine, the administration quickly solved complex queries.

Can confirm - if you've had a better administrative service at Cambridge than any other university, you've been very lucky!

And yes, I've worked in the Cam administrative side of things

Oh, maybe I was lucky.

I was trying to apply for some at Durham, Bristol, Manchester, and UCL-like places for Physics. I am an international student and the application experience is pathetic. Professors and departments are either not replying or replying after months. Several universities misled me about course starting. In Nottingham, I have done everything as per the Department of Physics, but after submission university is fighting with the department about admission timings. Many of them mention applications all year round or several intakes in January, and April but only take students in September.