Government unable to calculate Afghan data breach cost, watchdog says
Summary
The UK government can't accurately estimate the cost of a data breach involving Afghan relocation plans, according to a public spending watchdog. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) estimated the breach and related relocation plan costs at £850 million, but the watchdog questions the accuracy of this figure due to insufficient evidence. The incident exposed data on around 19,000 people, necessitating the creation of a new route for relocations.Key Facts
- The UK Ministry of Defence faced a data breach involving a relocation scheme for Afghan collaborators.
- The breach exposed personal details of nearly 19,000 people who applied to move to the UK due to threats from the Taliban.
- A new relocation plan, the Afghanistan Response Route (ARR), was established in April 2024 to expand resettlement eligibility.
- The MoD estimates relocating each person under these schemes costs £128,000.
- The total cost for resettlement programs could exceed £2 billion.
- A super-injunction initially prevented reporting of the breach until it was lifted in July 2023.
- The National Audit Office questioned the MoD's cost estimate of £850 million as lacking sufficient evidence.
- MoD acknowledges its moral obligation to the Afghans who assisted British forces.
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