tucemseh,
"Also, we await news of why MoD refused so many times to embody the firing handle shroud."
Back in the day, as an 'end user' I was involved with some trials for potential MODs to the seat after the Sean Cunningham accident. The revised SPFH 'faceplate' was a no-brainer. The shroud was more nuanced. On the Hawk T2, the SPFH is angled forward quite markedy and the proposed shroud denied visual confirmation of the SPFH safety pin status. The only way to check the pin and therefore seat status with the shroud fitted, either sat in the seat or looking in from outside, was to leverage the handle back, quite forcibly. Not a good move if the seat wasn't safe. That problem prevented the immediate fitting of the shroud to the seat in the T2. Whether that is still the case, I cannot say.
BTW, I have ordered the book. I just need Covid restrictions to be relaxed so I can return to Blighty and collect!