The UK government faces significant financial uncertainty. This uncertainty stems from a major Afghan data breach. Consequently, a powerful spending watchdog has now spoken out. Importantly, the government cannot calculate the total cost. This cost relates to a secret relocation plan. Officials established the plan after the serious security lapse.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Defence estimates a staggering £850m price tag. This figure covers the breach and a new relocation scheme. However, the National Audit Office (NAO) strongly disputes this estimate. The watchdog says the MoD provided insufficient evidence. Therefore, the NAO lacks confidence in the £850m forecast. Additionally, this number excludes future legal expenses. It also omits inevitable compensation claims.
The Afghan data breach fallout is immense and ongoing. An official mistakenly emailed a spreadsheet in 2022. That document contained hidden, sensitive information. It included details of nearly 19,000 Afghan applicants. These people sought UK relocation to flee the Taliban. Their names and contact details were exposed. Their family information was also leaked. Many had cooperated with British forces. Their lives were therefore at severe risk. This included members of UK special forces.
Moreover, a High Court super-injunction hid the incident. This order prevented reporting for nearly two years. Subsequently, the government revealed a secret new scheme. Officials established it secretly in April 2024. This scheme allows a further 7,000 people to come to the UK. Previously, over 16,000 Afghans were eligible for resettlement.
The MoD estimates each resettlement costs £128,000. Altogether, all Afghan programmes may exceed £2bn. Yet, the NAO report highlights major accounting problems. The MoD did not separately identify ARR scheme costs. These costs were buried within total spending. Consequently, the department cannot determine exact expenditures. This lack of clarity defines the Afghan data breach fallout.
An MoD spokesperson responded to the criticism. They stated a commitment to honouring a moral obligation. They owe this to Afghans who stood with the UK. The spokesperson also emphasized a commitment to transparency. They said all resettlement schemes are fully funded. Nevertheless, the Afghan data breach fallout continues to raise serious questions. The true financial and human cost remains uncertain.
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