UK MPs Investigate 2022 MoD Afghan Data Breach Impacting 100,000

A significant data breach in 2022 exposed the personal details of thousands of Afghans, including soldiers who worked alongside British forces, putting their lives at risk from the Taliban. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) responded with a superinjunction to prevent the breach from being reported, which concealed the scale of the issue and billions of pounds spent on covert evacuation efforts. Defence Secretary John Healey acknowledged the breach, apologizing and expressing concern over the lack of transparency, while emphasizing that not all individuals on the leaked list were eligible for resettlement under the Afghan relocations and assistance policy (Arap). Former Conservative ministers Ben Wallace and Johnny Mercer debated the inclusion of people with tenuous links to British forces, with Wallace denying the use of a superinjunction and clarifying the legal actions taken. MPs have vowed a thorough investigation into the breach, calling the situation a "mess," as the full details only emerged after legal challenges lifted the gag order. The government confirmed that Afghan arrivals under all schemes have been included in Home Office migration statistics, despite the secrecy surrounding the relocation program.