Capt. P;
Agree with the intent of most of what you say, but the the quote from SOC 5.1.1 <<(acting in accordance of the guidance or instructions specified in operations manuals) >> rather passes the buck back to the companies. In my company, CAA FOIs fly the line regularly and one of the purposes is to make sure that the ops. manuals are doing the job. If the flight manual fuel policy is in opposition to what the CAA SRG would want, then they should not approve it. As it stands, they not only approve it - but test it regularly on the line, so Captains are exhorted to stick to flt. manual policy on the grounds that it is safe and commercially sound as approved and tested by the Authority. I personally think my company's current fuel policy is sound - provided the decision making process which goes with it is intelligent.
Nigel;
Good luck with the course: when I did the same (I think our pay chits are sent from the same address) the last advice from the check Captain before signing me off was to start off by taking plenty of fuel. It was comforting to know that there was no additional fuel policy pressure in addition to the weight of a new command. And there was no pressure on this issue subsequently, save a few reminders of the (CAA approved and certified) company fuel policy.