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| Thousands of Afghans relocated to UK under secret scheme after data leak | Thousands of Afghans relocated to UK under secret scheme after data leak |
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| MoD tried to cover up error which gave details of Afghans who said they worked with UK and which led to £2bn scheme | MoD tried to cover up error which gave details of Afghans who said they worked with UK and which led to £2bn scheme |
| Afghan nationals: have you arrived in the UK under the Afghan Response Route? | |
| Personal information about more than 33,000 Afghans seeking relocation to the UK after the Taliban takeover was released in error by a defence official – and the Ministry of Defence tried for nearly two years to cover up the leak and its consequences. | Personal information about more than 33,000 Afghans seeking relocation to the UK after the Taliban takeover was released in error by a defence official – and the Ministry of Defence tried for nearly two years to cover up the leak and its consequences. |
| Fears that the individuals named would be at risk from reprisals from the Taliban led the previous government to set up a secret relocation scheme, the Afghan Response Route (ARR), involving 20,000 people at a cost in the order of £2bn. | Fears that the individuals named would be at risk from reprisals from the Taliban led the previous government to set up a secret relocation scheme, the Afghan Response Route (ARR), involving 20,000 people at a cost in the order of £2bn. |
| At noon on Tuesday, the high court judge Mr Justice Chamberlain announced that a superinjunction first obtained by the MoD in August 2023 would be lifted, allowing the leak and secret relocation scheme to be reported for the first time. | At noon on Tuesday, the high court judge Mr Justice Chamberlain announced that a superinjunction first obtained by the MoD in August 2023 would be lifted, allowing the leak and secret relocation scheme to be reported for the first time. |
| In his ruling, Chamberlain described the cost of the plans as amounting to “the sort of money which makes a material difference to government spending plans and is normally the stuff of political debate”. | In his ruling, Chamberlain described the cost of the plans as amounting to “the sort of money which makes a material difference to government spending plans and is normally the stuff of political debate”. |
| The dataset contained personal information of about 33,000 Afghans who had applied for one of two schemes run to allow people who had worked with the UK in Afghanistan to come to Britain with their families. | The dataset contained personal information of about 33,000 Afghans who had applied for one of two schemes run to allow people who had worked with the UK in Afghanistan to come to Britain with their families. |
| It was released in error by an official and subsequently published on a Facebook page. When that came to the attention of the MoD, the department first applied for a superinjuction in September 2023, preventing its disclosure and reporting about it. | It was released in error by an official and subsequently published on a Facebook page. When that came to the attention of the MoD, the department first applied for a superinjuction in September 2023, preventing its disclosure and reporting about it. |
| The presiding judge said on Tuesday that he had decided at first to maintain the superinjunction at a hearing in November 2023 because he had been told by the MoD that if the Taliban became aware of the existence of the leaked data and obtained it, “many thousands” of those listed “could be killed or injured”. | The presiding judge said on Tuesday that he had decided at first to maintain the superinjunction at a hearing in November 2023 because he had been told by the MoD that if the Taliban became aware of the existence of the leaked data and obtained it, “many thousands” of those listed “could be killed or injured”. |
| However, at a hearing last month the judge received a copy of a review undertaken by a retired civil servant, Paul Rimmer, on behalf of the government assessing the relocation scheme, which led to Tuesday’s ruling. | However, at a hearing last month the judge received a copy of a review undertaken by a retired civil servant, Paul Rimmer, on behalf of the government assessing the relocation scheme, which led to Tuesday’s ruling. |
| Rimmer’s report concluded that the acquisition of the dataset by the Taliban was “unlikely to substantially change an individual’s existing exposure given the volume of data already available”. It was unlikely, Rimmer said, that “merely being on the dataset would be grounds for targeting”. | Rimmer’s report concluded that the acquisition of the dataset by the Taliban was “unlikely to substantially change an individual’s existing exposure given the volume of data already available”. It was unlikely, Rimmer said, that “merely being on the dataset would be grounds for targeting”. |
| Chamberlain said the conclusions of that report “fundamentally undermine the evidential basis” on which he and the court of appeal in separate hearings had relied to decide that the MoD superinjunction should be upheld. | Chamberlain said the conclusions of that report “fundamentally undermine the evidential basis” on which he and the court of appeal in separate hearings had relied to decide that the MoD superinjunction should be upheld. |
| Labour has now decided to halt the Afghan Response Route, which has so far cost £400m and will cost a further £450m. Stopping it will save a further £1.2bn, it is understood. | Labour has now decided to halt the Afghan Response Route, which has so far cost £400m and will cost a further £450m. Stopping it will save a further £1.2bn, it is understood. |
| The defence secretary, John Healey, offered a “sincere apology” for the data breach. In a statement to the Commons, he said he had felt “deeply concerned about the lack of transparency” around the data breach and “deeply uncomfortable to be constrained from reporting to this house”. | The defence secretary, John Healey, offered a “sincere apology” for the data breach. In a statement to the Commons, he said he had felt “deeply concerned about the lack of transparency” around the data breach and “deeply uncomfortable to be constrained from reporting to this house”. |
| Healey said: “Members of this house, including you, Mr Speaker, and myself, have been subject to this superinjunction. It is unprecedented, and to be clear, the court has always recognised the parliamentary privilege of proceedings in this house, and ministers decided not to tell parliamentarians at an earlier stage about the data incident as the widespread publicity would increase the risk of the Taliban obtaining the dataset.” | Healey said: “Members of this house, including you, Mr Speaker, and myself, have been subject to this superinjunction. It is unprecedented, and to be clear, the court has always recognised the parliamentary privilege of proceedings in this house, and ministers decided not to tell parliamentarians at an earlier stage about the data incident as the widespread publicity would increase the risk of the Taliban obtaining the dataset.” |
| Healey said the leaked spreadsheet also included details of MPs, senior military officers and government officials. | Healey said the leaked spreadsheet also included details of MPs, senior military officers and government officials. |
| He said: “This official mistakenly believed that they were sending the names of 150 applicants. However, the spreadsheet in fact contained personal information associated to 18,714 Afghans who had applied either to the ex gratia or the Arap [Afghan relocations and assistance policy] scheme on or before the 7th of January 2022. | He said: “This official mistakenly believed that they were sending the names of 150 applicants. However, the spreadsheet in fact contained personal information associated to 18,714 Afghans who had applied either to the ex gratia or the Arap [Afghan relocations and assistance policy] scheme on or before the 7th of January 2022. |
| “It contained names and contact details of applicants and in some instances information relating to applicants’ family members. And, in a small number of cases, the names of members of parliament, senior military officers and government officials who were noted as supporting the application. This was a serious departmental error.” | “It contained names and contact details of applicants and in some instances information relating to applicants’ family members. And, in a small number of cases, the names of members of parliament, senior military officers and government officials who were noted as supporting the application. This was a serious departmental error.” |
| He added: “To date, 900 ARR principals are in Britain or in transit, together with 3,600 family members, at a cost of around £400m.” | He added: “To date, 900 ARR principals are in Britain or in transit, together with 3,600 family members, at a cost of around £400m.” |
| Healey said it had not been possible to contact every individual in the dataset due to its incomplete and out-of-date information. “However, anyone who may be concerned can head to our new dedicated gov.uk website, wherein they will find more information about the data loss, further security advice, a self-checker tool which will inform them whether their application has been affected, and contact steps for the detailed information services centre, which the MoD has established.” | Healey said it had not been possible to contact every individual in the dataset due to its incomplete and out-of-date information. “However, anyone who may be concerned can head to our new dedicated gov.uk website, wherein they will find more information about the data loss, further security advice, a self-checker tool which will inform them whether their application has been affected, and contact steps for the detailed information services centre, which the MoD has established.” |
| The minister said 36,000 Afghans had been accepted by Britain as a result of various schemes after the fall of Kabul. The Arap scheme has now been closed. | The minister said 36,000 Afghans had been accepted by Britain as a result of various schemes after the fall of Kabul. The Arap scheme has now been closed. |
| “From today, there will be no new ARR offers of relocation to Britain, the route is now closed,” he said. “However, we will honour the 600 invitations already made to any named person still in Afghanistan and their immediate family. When this nation makes a promise, we should keep it.” | “From today, there will be no new ARR offers of relocation to Britain, the route is now closed,” he said. “However, we will honour the 600 invitations already made to any named person still in Afghanistan and their immediate family. When this nation makes a promise, we should keep it.” |
| In the summer of 2021, the US decided to lead a withdrawal of western forces from Afghanistan, allowing the Taliban to takeover in August. That left tens of thousands of people who had helped the UK and other countries during two decades of western military presence in the country at risk of reprisals. | In the summer of 2021, the US decided to lead a withdrawal of western forces from Afghanistan, allowing the Taliban to takeover in August. That left tens of thousands of people who had helped the UK and other countries during two decades of western military presence in the country at risk of reprisals. |