(This is naughty; I’m answering my own question, as I’ve finally found a work-around)
Copy/Paste/Paste Special has been working fine within LO except, sometimes, not within Tables. It is NOT a consistent bug but, when present, the Table Toolbar seems to make the difference:-
- Table Toolbar present:- Copy/Paste usually works; Paste Special often does not work
- Table Toolbar absent:- Copy/Paste always works, Paste Special always works
Later edit: to make clear that the bug, when it does turn up, affects copy/paste special from web-pages. It may also affect within-LO copying, but the inconsistency makes testing difficult. Whatever, when the bug is active removing the toolbar fixes it.
PS
The Table toolbar can NOT be closed by using the Window Title-bar ‘X’. Either use the internal Table toolbar Title-bar ‘X’ (why are there 2?) or use menu: View | Toolbars | Table & remove the tick-mark.