Parliament's intelligence watchdog is set to launch an inquiry into the Afghan data leak that triggered an unprecedented legal gagging order and an £850 million secret relocation scheme. The probe will examine the intelligence community's role in the massive breach that exposed thousands of Afghan refugees to potential Taliban reprisals.
Lord Beamish, chairman of the Intelligence and Security Committee of Parliament (ISC), announced the cross-party investigation after securing access to defence assessment documents related to the case. The peer has previously raised concerns about "serious constitutional issues" surrounding the handling of the 2022 breach.
Unprecedented superinjunction imposed
The leak exposed details of 18,714 applicants for the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (Arap) scheme in February 2022. A defence official released the sensitive information "in error", compromising not only Afghan nationals but also more than 100 British officials, including special forces and MI6 personnel.
The breach prompted an unprecedented superinjunction amid fears the Taliban could target would-be refugees for reprisals. This legal order was so restrictive that even the ISC, which routinely reviews sensitive material, was not briefed on the incident.
Secret £850 million scheme established
The Government established a secret scheme, the Afghanistan Response Route (ARR), to bring some of those affected to the UK. The projected final cost of this emergency programme is approximately £850 million, with 6,900 people expected to be relocated under the scheme introduced by the previous Conservative administration.
The ISC had requested the release of defence assessments that formed the basis of the superinjunction, along with other material relating to the Arap scheme. The committee argued that under the Justice and Security Act 2013, classification of material cannot be grounds for withholding information from the watchdog.
Compensation unlikely for victims
Thousands of Afghans whose details were leaked are unlikely to receive compensation for the breach. A Ministry of Defence (MoD) spokesman said the Government would "robustly defend" any legal action or bid for compensation, describing these as "hypothetical claims".
Reports suggest the MoD will not proactively offer compensation to those affected by the data breach. The Government has been contacted for comment on the ISC's planned inquiry.
(PA/London) Note: This article has been edited with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
