Mr Elwood said the suggestion that France could share knowledge about Exocet, which could save British lives, “requires further investigation”.
He added: “We do not know the wider decision-making that circumvents this. In fact, those responsible may not even be alive today.
“As we look to future battles, we need to learn from past events, and that includes how we work with allies and how we share critical intelligence. It would certainly have changed the game if France had chosen to share this feature with Exocet. “
Dr Fox said that in 2010, David Cameron and Nicolas Sarkozy, then prime minister and French president, signed bilateral agreements with Lancaster House on co-operation in defense and security.
“I would think that in the spirit of these treaties, the French would like to be as open and honest with us as possible,” he said. “It won’t change anything in that regard, but it will set a historical record.”
Bob Seeley, a Tory MP and former army captain on the Foreign Affairs Committee, said: “If Exocets contained what was actually an on / off switch, the French had to share it with us.
“If it turns out that the information is hidden, this will be one of the most embarrassing episodes in Anglo-French relations. Many British sailors have died because of these weapons, and we owe it to the families of those killed, as well as to history, to get to the truth.
“It may be that the French have told us everything we need to know, but they need to be transparent.”
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