[arista]

[The previous government set up a
secret Afghan relocation scheme after the
personal data of thousands of people was
inadvertently leaked, it can be revealed.

The details of nearly 19,000 people who
had applied to move to the UK after
the Taliban takeover of the country was
released by mistake by a
British defence official in February 2022.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) learned of the breach
in August 2023 and created a new resettlement
scheme nine months later.
It has seen 4,500 Afghans arrive in the UK,
with a further 600 people and their
immediate families still to arrive.

However the existence of the leak and
scheme was kept secret after the government
obtained a superinjunction.

Details of the major data breach,
the response and the number of Afghans
granted the right to live in
the UK as a result were only made public
on Tuesday after a High Court judge ruled
the gagging order should be lifted.

The leak contained the names,
contact details and some family information
of people potentially at risk of harm from
the Taliban.

The government also revealed on Tuesday:

The secret scheme - officially called the
Afghan Relocation Route - has cost £400m so far,
and is expected to cost a further £400m to £450m

The scheme is being closed down, but relocation
offers already made will be offered

The breach was committed by an
unnamed official at the MoD

People whose details were leaked were
only informed on Tuesday

Speaking in the House of Commons,
Defence Secretary John Healey offered
a "sincere apology" to those whose details
had been included in the leak]


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvg8zy78787o


A LBC reporter had the information,
But could not go public until today