The Full Cost of the Ministry of Defence Afghan Data Leak Will Be Much Higher Than the Government Claimed
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The spiralling cost of the Ministry of Defence data breach that put at risk the lives of thousands of people who helped British forces in Afghanistan is revealed by the National Audit Office today.
Their report reveals that the cost of resettling over 7,000 Afghan nationals in the UK to save them from retaliation by the Taliban, is in reality likely to be much higher than the original figure of £850 million quoted in July.
The breach took place under the last Conservative Government in 2022 but was not spotted until 18 months later when posts started to appear on Facebook disclosing what had happened. Originally it was thought that just 150 people had been affected but when the scheme to bring people over to the UK closed last month it turned out that 7,355 people, including their families will be resettled in the UK by 2029.
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The disclosure led the MOD to apply for a super injunction to keep the scheme secret until last July for fear that it would alert the Taliban. This, the report reveals, has already cost the taxpayer an additional £2.5 million in legal fees, with additional costs still to come when the Government pays the defendants' costs. This will come on top of compensation payments for all those affected.
None of these legal costs were included in the estimate.
The ministry's explanation for not keeping separate accounts for the scheme was to preserve the secrecy of the operation after it obtained a super injunction. Instead, it was merged with other resettlement programmes for Afghans. Altogether the ministry has spent £400 million this year and will eventually spend another £1.5 billion on resettlement programmes from Afghanistan by 2029, taking the total bill to over £2 billion.
Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP, Chair of the Committee of Public Accounts said: "The NAO briefing published today has provided some much-needed clarity on the Afghanistan Response Route, which was launched following a data breach in 2022…"
"Confusion still remains over the reported £850 million historic and future costs relating to the breach, with the MoD unable to provide sufficient assurance over their numbers. This figure does not include all legal costs or compensation claims, which currently remain unknown."
Next week MPs on the Public Accounts Committee will question officials from the MOD on the scheme.
The National Audit Office is planning a full scale investigation into the overall cost of settling Afghans in the UK to be published next spring.
An MoD spokesman told Byline Times: "We are committed to honouring the moral obligation we owe to those Afghans who stood with us and risked their lives.
"Since taking the decision to support the lifting of the super injunction brought by the previous government, we have been clear on the costs associated with relocating eligible Afghans to the UK - and are fully committed to transparency.
"The cost of all Afghan resettlement schemes, including the Afghan Response Route, has been fully funded as part of the Government's Spending Review."
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Packed with exclusive investigations, analysis, and features
SUBSCRIBE TODAY
The spiralling cost of the Ministry of Defence data breach that put at risk the lives of thousands of people who helped British forces in Afghanistan is revealed by the National Audit Office today.
Their report reveals that the cost of resettling over 7,000 Afghan nationals in the UK to save them from retaliation by the Taliban, is in reality likely to be much higher than the original figure of £850 million quoted in July.
The breach took place under the last Conservative Government in 2022 but was not spotted until 18 months later when posts started to appear on Facebook disclosing what had happened. Originally it was thought that just 150 people had been affected but when the scheme to bring people over to the UK closed last month it turned out that 7,355 people, including their families will be resettled in the UK by 2029.
Undue Influence: The Reform-Supporting Online Network Using AI to Monetise Anti-Migrant Hate
A prominent social media campaign for Brexit and Boris Johnson has morphed into a large-scale network boosting Reform and pushing anti-migrant hate, reports Katherine Denkinson
Katherine Denkinson
The disclosure led the MOD to apply for a super injunction to keep the scheme secret until last July for fear that it would alert the Taliban. This, the report reveals, has already cost the taxpayer an additional £2.5 million in legal fees, with additional costs still to come when the Government pays the defendants' costs. This will come on top of compensation payments for all those affected.
None of these legal costs were included in the estimate.
The ministry's explanation for not keeping separate accounts for the scheme was to preserve the secrecy of the operation after it obtained a super injunction. Instead, it was merged with other resettlement programmes for Afghans. Altogether the ministry has spent £400 million this year and will eventually spend another £1.5 billion on resettlement programmes from Afghanistan by 2029, taking the total bill to over £2 billion.
Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP, Chair of the Committee of Public Accounts said: "The NAO briefing published today has provided some much-needed clarity on the Afghanistan Response Route, which was launched following a data breach in 2022…"
"Confusion still remains over the reported £850 million historic and future costs relating to the breach, with the MoD unable to provide sufficient assurance over their numbers. This figure does not include all legal costs or compensation claims, which currently remain unknown."
Next week MPs on the Public Accounts Committee will question officials from the MOD on the scheme.
The National Audit Office is planning a full scale investigation into the overall cost of settling Afghans in the UK to be published next spring.
An MoD spokesman told Byline Times: "We are committed to honouring the moral obligation we owe to those Afghans who stood with us and risked their lives.
"Since taking the decision to support the lifting of the super injunction brought by the previous government, we have been clear on the costs associated with relocating eligible Afghans to the UK - and are fully committed to transparency.
"The cost of all Afghan resettlement schemes, including the Afghan Response Route, has been fully funded as part of the Government's Spending Review."
ENJOYING THIS ARTICLE? HELP US TO PRODUCE MORE
Receive the monthly Byline Times newspaper and help to support fearless, independent journalism that breaks stories, shapes the agenda and holds power to account.
PAY ANNUALLY - £39.50 A YEAR
PAY MONTHLY - £3.75 A MONTH
MORE OPTIONS
We're not funded by a billionaire oligarch or an offshore hedge-fund. We rely on our readers to fund our journalism. If you like what we do, please subscribe.
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