A report by the UK's Defence Committee has found that a data breach involving the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Afghan resettlement applications was a "foreseeable failure." The committee criticized the MoD for using secrecy as a "shield against proper accountability," particularly concerning administrative failings that left Afghan special forces personnel in danger.
The inquiry questioned the decision not to provide confidential briefings to parliamentarians regarding the breach, noting that then-Defence Secretary Grant Shapps opposed informing the shadow defence secretary, John Healey. The government's policy of not commenting on special forces matters was also deemed "inappropriate" in the context of the breach, as the committee stated that "special forces involvement should not prevent Parliament and the public from understanding how administrative failings occurred."
Concerns were raised about the handling of resettlement applications for Afghan special forces who served alongside British troops and are considered at high risk of reprisal from the Taliban. Reports indicated that a British Special Forces officer personally rejected 1,585 resettlement applications in 2023, with none approved during that period. These rejections left many individuals in fear for their lives, with some reporting interrogations and beatings by the Taliban.
In February 2024, BBC Panorama revealed that British Special Forces had a de facto veto over these applications. The MoD has since reviewed cases, leading to 884 previously rejected applications from former Afghan special forces being overturned. The report emphasizes that the "proportion of decisions subsequently overturned demonstrates the seriousness of that failure."
The UK government closed the relevant resettlement scheme, the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP), to new applications in 2025. However, the report argued that the government has a "special responsibility" to those wrongly rejected, many of whom applied in 2021 and continued to live in fear due to "government delay or error."
The Defence Secretary is currently facing a legal challenge at the Royal Courts of Justice from former Afghan special forces unable to relocate to the UK. A recent court hearing highlighted a family's dire financial situation, with only "$200 left to survive."
A spokesperson for the MoD acknowledged the incident and its significant impact. "This incident should never have happened," the spokesperson stated. "Thousands of eligible Afghans have already been safely relocated to the UK, where they can rebuild their lives, and we are committed to ensuring that we conclude the Afghan resettlement programme by the end of this Parliament." The MoD also noted that reforms are underway, including improved data protection, strengthened case-working processes, and better programme governance, and expressed a commitment to working with the committee on the issue.