Locale.getDefault() returns wrong Locale for Java SE 7

FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
java version "1.7.0"
Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 1.7.0-b147)
Java HotSpot(TM) Client VM (build 21.0-b17, mixed mode, sharing)

ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7600]

EXTRA RELEVANT SYSTEM CONFIGURATION :
Locale on Windows is set to "English (United Kingdom)" under "standards and formats" and "Language for non-Unicode programs". Location is set to "United Kingdom"

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
The Locale returned from Locale.getDefault() is en_US when it shoud be en_GB

This goes wrong on switching to version 1.7.0. Running the same software on the same environment under 1.6.0_26 and earlier it worked as expected.

The result is that all the Locale specific output of times and dates in our software comes out wrong for our UK customers - today is 8/2/11 when it should be 02/08/11 etc

REGRESSION. Last worked in version 6u26

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
Set all the locale settings under Windows to "English (United Kingdom)". I have tried this on both Windows XP and Windows 7

Run this code and compare the results for 1.6 and 1.7:

System.out.println("java.version = " + System.getProperty("java.version"));
System.out.println("Locale.getDefault() = " + Locale.getDefault());

My output:

>"C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\java" nonguitestrig.Main
java.version = 1.6.0_26
Locale.getDefault() = en_GB

>"C:\Program Files\Java\jre7\bin\java" nonguitestrig.Main
java.version = 1.7.0
Locale.getDefault() = en_US


EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
The call should return the Locale set in the OS as it did under 1.6, i.e. en_GB
ACTUAL -
Java 1.7 returns a different result to 1.6, en_US

REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
import java.util.Locale;

public class Main {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
System.out.println("java.version = " + System.getProperty("java.version"));
System.out.println("Locale.getDefault() = " + Locale.getDefault());
    }
}
---------- END SOURCE ----------