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Kate Whannel, a political reporter, reported that Afghan nationals affected by a Ministry of Defence data breach in 2021 will be receiving compensation of up to £4,000 each, as announced by the government. The breach impacted 277 individuals, including some who had worked for the UK government and were in hiding from the Taliban at the time. Defence Minister Luke Pollard acknowledged that the payments cannot erase past mistakes but assured that they would be made promptly. The total cost of compensation is estimated to be around £1.6m, in addition to the £350,000 fine imposed by the data watchdog.
The main breach occurred in September 2021 during the evacuation efforts under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (Arap) following the withdrawal of western troops. An email was mistakenly sent to individuals who could be targeted by the Taliban, exposing their identities to all recipients due to a clerical error. A subsequent internal investigation by the Ministry of Defence uncovered two similar breaches later that month. Solicitor Sean Humber, representing some of the affected individuals, criticized the lack of detailed information provided by the government regarding the compensation scheme.
Information commissioner John Edwards, after investigating the breaches in 2023, highlighted the severity of the error, stating that it could have posed a threat to life and had failed those who had served the country. The initial fine of £1m was reduced to £350,000 considering the steps taken by the Ministry of Defence to address the breach and the challenges faced by the relocation teams. Minister Pollard, in a statement, pledged to enhance data handling training and practices within the department. The government recently announced the closure of the Arap scheme to new applicants, having resettled over 21,000 Afghans in the UK. Defence Secretary John Healey expressed satisfaction with the scheme’s outcomes, indicating that resources would now be redirected towards national security priorities
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