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Investigations have revealed that the Ministry of Defence is facing scrutiny following 49 separate data breaches within the unit handling relocation applications from Afghans looking for safety in the UK over the past four years. Out of these breaches, four were previously made public, including a significant leak in 2022 that exposed information of nearly 19,000 individuals trying to escape the Taliban. This breach, which resulted in the secret relocation of many Afghans to the UK, was only disclosed recently after a court order was lifted.
Despite claims that the breach was an isolated incident due to a lack of regular checks rather than an overall deficiency in compliance, legal representatives for affected Afghans argue that these new figures point to a larger issue of lax security among those involved in the resettlement program. The Ministry of Defence has declined to provide details on the specific nature of each breach, but previous incidents have involved unintended disclosure of applicants’ personal information to third parties.
The Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP), created in April 2021 to aid Afghan citizens who assisted British armed forces and resettle them in the UK, was shut down in July of the same year. However, the scheme faced continuous challenges related to poor data security, endangering the lives of Afghans who collaborated with British forces. The breach incidents prompted actions by the government, including the implementation of new data handling protocols and training to prevent similar occurrences.
Seven of the data breaches were serious enough to warrant notification to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO), including three that had not been previously disclosed. The ICO mentioned limitations in the information it held on these breaches and its ongoing work with the Ministry of Defence to ensure improvements are made. Questions are raised about the ICO’s handling of investigations and the urgent need for increased scrutiny to safeguard sensitive personal data entrusted to the MoD. Both Labour and Conservative parties have responded to the breaches, acknowledging the gravity of the situation and emphasizing the importance of data security and adherence to legal requirements
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