One of my sources also tells me that the Captain quite instictively selected flap to 25 to reduce the drag.
Sound like yet more daft supposition to me. If I have to explain why then you plainly now little about SOPs on BA 777s nor, it would seem, basic aerodynamic theory.
I read this thread for entertainment value. I have never read so much utter rubbish on one thread on Prune, ever.
In normal ops (CAT 1) the handover of control is at 1000' or lower, but nothing stops you taking it before if visual.
If you must quote BA SOPs then please be accurate, some of that statement is not.