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A recent report from the National Audit Office has revealed that the UK government is unable to accurately determine the total cost of a covert relocation initiative set up in response to a leak of Afghan data. The Ministry of Defence has estimated the cost of the significant data breach and the implementation of a new scheme to relocate individuals at risk to be around £850 million. However, the NAO has expressed concerns over the lack of evidence provided by the MoD to support this figure, which excludes potential legal expenses and compensation claims.
The data breach, which occurred in 2022 when an official mistakenly disclosed a spreadsheet containing details of nearly 19,000 individuals seeking to escape the Taliban by relocating to the UK, included sensitive information such as names, contact information, and family details. Notably, the leaked data also revealed the identities of British officials, including members of UK special forces. In response to the breach, a new initiative called the Afghanistan Response Route (ARR) was established in secret in April 2024, allowing an additional 7,000 individuals to resettle in the UK.
Despite the MoD estimating the cost of resettling each individual under the new scheme to be £128,000, the NAO has criticized the government for its inability to accurately track and allocate costs related to the ARR program. According to the NAO, the MoD failed to separate the expenses associated with the ARR scheme in its accounting system, making it challenging to ascertain the precise expenditures incurred. The MoD reiterated its commitment to fulfilling its moral obligation to Afghan allies who supported British forces, emphasizing transparency in its handling of the resettlement programs and the associated costs.
While the total bill for all Afghan resettlement initiatives is forecasted to exceed £2 billion, uncertainties surrounding the actual expenses incurred by the ARR scheme persist due to the lack of clear financial tracking. The government’s commitment to transparency and honoring its moral obligations to Afghan allies remains paramount, although concerns over cost accuracy and allocation persist
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