
Defence Secretary John Healey 'deeply uncomfortable' with government using super-injunction after Afghanistan data breach
Almost 7,000 Afghan nationals are being relocated to the UK as a result of the breach by the British military, with the personal information of close to 20,000 individuals who helped or worked with UK forces being exposed.
John Healey told Matt Barbet on Breakfast: "I'm really deeply uncomfortable with the idea that a government applies for a super-injunction.
"If there are any [other] super-injunctions in place, I just have to tell you - I don't know about them. I haven't been read into them.
"The important thing here now is that we've closed the scheme."
Mr Healey defended the government's decision to keep secret a huge data leak that put thousands of lives at risk.
The defence secretary said when he first came into government, "we had to sort out a situation which we'd not had access to dealing with before".
"That meant getting on top of the risks, the intelligence assessments, the policy complexities, the court papers and the range of Afghan relocation schemes the previous government had put in place," he said.
"And it also meant taking decisions that no one takes lightly because lives may be at stake."
Mr Healey added that an independent review he launched says that it is now "highly unlikely that being a name on this data set that was lost three-and-a-half years ago increases the risk of being targeted", which is why the whole leak can be revealed.
Ministers have to account for applying for a super-injunction
Challenged on why it could not be revealed earlier if those on the list are no longer at risk, Mr Healey said the super-injunction "was a matter for the court".
He said ministers needed to provide judges with a "fresh assessment" in order to have the super-injunction lifted.
Mr Healey also refused to criticise the former Conservative defence minister Ben Wallace for initially applying for the super-injunction, saying he did not know what information the minister had when he took the decision.
"But the important thing is they now have to account for those decisions," he added.
Please refresh the page for the fullest version.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Leader Live
2 minutes ago
- Leader Live
Starmer hails ‘historic day' as Modi visits for signing of UK-India trade deal
At the Prime Minister's country residence Chequers, Sir Keir said the deal marked a 'step change' in relations. Mr Modi said they were 'writing a new chapter' in the UK and India's shared history. The deal is set to be worth £6 billion in investment from Indian and UK companies into the British economy, and is expected to have a £4.8 billion impact on the UK's gross domestic product (GDP). The two leaders have also agreed to increase efforts to tackle illegal migration and organised crime. Sir Keir said: 'I'm really pleased and privileged to welcome you here today on what I consider to be a historic day for both of our countries, and the delivery of the commitment that we made to each other.' Mr Modi, speaking via a translator, described the UK and India as 'natural partners'. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and his Indian counterpart Piyush Goyal then formally signed the trade agreement in the great hall of Chequers. At a joint press conference in the hall, Sir Keir was invited by Mr Modi to visit India in the near future. The Indian prime minister also paid tribute to the British victims of the June plane crash outside of Ahmedabad airport, and described Britons of Indian origin as a 'living bridge' between the two countries. The ongoing England-India Test cricket clash is a 'great metaphor for our partnership', Mr Modi said, adding: 'There may be a swing and a miss at times, but we always play with a straight bat.' A brief translation error resulted in Sir Keir asking if he needed to repeat a section of his speech. But Mr Modi indicated he understood, with Sir Keir replying: 'I think we understand each other well.' As their statements drew to a close and the two leaders began to leave the room, Mr Modi jokingly asked if Sir Keir would play the grand piano next to them in the room. Sir Keir, who is known to have played several musical instruments including the piano, laughed at the suggestion. The UK-India trade deal is understood to be the largest of its kind for its economic impact on Britain. It will see tariffs on an array of British goods reduced from an average of 15% to 3%, with the aim of boosting the £11 billion of imports into the south Asian nation. Whisky tariffs will be slashed in half and will fall further over successive years, while other industries including soft drinks, cars and cosmetics are also expected to see cheaper duties. The deal is expected to result in 2,200 jobs across the country and £6 billion investment by British and Indian businesses. The UK and India are also bolstering co-operation on tackling corruption, fraud, organised crime and illegal migration, by sharing criminal records and other intelligence. But the deal has not given the UK as much access as it would have liked to India's financial and legal services industries. The agreement promises some benefits for the UK's financial services, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves understood to have pushed on behalf of the sector in discussions with her Indian counterpart. But more wide-ranging access was not agreed, and talks continue on a bilateral investment treaty aimed at protecting British investments in India and vice versa. The two nations also continue to discuss UK plans for a tax on high-carbon industries, which India believes could hit its imports unfairly. Negotiations on the deal began when Boris Johnson was prime minister in 2022, and were concluded in May this year. Shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith said it had only been made possible 'because of Brexit delivered by the Conservatives'. The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has said that the signing 'sends a powerful signal that the UK is open for business and remains resolute in its commitment to free and fair trade'. Chief executive Rain Newton-Smith added: 'A trade agreement with India – one of the world's fastest-growing economies – is a springboard for long-term partnership and prosperity. UK firms can take advantage of this new platform to scale, diversify and compete on the global stage.'


The Independent
2 minutes ago
- The Independent
How does Britain's pension predicament compare with other countries?
Liz Kendall announced this week that she is reviving the pension commission as the government tries to tackle what she described as a looming 'tsunami of pensioner poverty'. The work and pensions secretary said the government is setting out to 'tackle the barriers that stop too many saving in the first place' after her department found that people retiring in 2050 are on track to be poorer than those retiring today, expecting to get £800 less in private pension income. Currently, just 55 per cent of working age adults in the UK are contributing to a pension pot, and MPs have said that a UK-wide strategy is needed to address pensioner poverty. But the UK's pension dilemma is not unique. Countries across the world are grappling with similar looming crises, driven by a combination of factors including demographic shifts, low interest rates and economic instability. Here, the Independent takes a look at what action other governments are taking to stave off the impending crisis. United States In the United States, half of all private-sector workers are unable to get a retirement plan through their jobs, according to a survey published in June by Pew Charitable Trusts. The US's most common workplace retirement plan is a 401(k), which allows employees to voluntarily put money aside for retirement which is typically matched by their employers. The total employee and employer contributions to a 401(k) cannot exceed $70,000 per year. Around 27 per cent of Americans over the age of 59 have no savings to rely on in their retirement, according to a survey by financial services firm Credit Karma in 2023. Last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump administration was expected to sign an order that would open up 401(k)s to the private markets. It would order the US Labor Department and Securities and Exchange Commission to create guidance for employers on including private assets in 401(k) plans, which could, in turn, create more investment opportunities for them. Canada Currently, the key challenge for many countries remains the low rate of pension saving. More than half (59 per cent) of working Canadians do not believe they will have enough money to retire, according to a survey conducted this year by Canadian pension fund HOOPP, Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan. However, Canada is tackling this through rate increases within their savings system. The government has expanded the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), a monthly benefit that replaces a percentage of a person's income after they retire. Between 2019 to 2025, it has increased the percentage of how much of a worker's earnings are replaced from 25 per cent to 33.33 per cent. It has also increased the maximum level of earnings protected by the CPP by 14 per cent over 2024 and 2025. Australia Australia is recognised as having one of the world's top pension schemes where employers are required to pay a percentage of their employees earnings into an account which that employee can then access once they have retired. As of this month, employers are now required to contribute 12 per cent to employees' retirement savings accounts, up from 11.5 per cent. They are also taking steps to close the gender pension pay gap with the Labor Government introducing a superannuation top up for parents taking time off to care for a newborn. The CityUK CEO Miles Celic said: 'total contributions will have to rise if we are to emulate the successes of, for example, Australia and Canada. 'This will involve difficult political choices alongside technical changes to policy and regulation.' France In 2023, French President Emmanuel Macron raised the age of retirement from 62 to 64, which sparked massive public backlash and protests. Macron's administration argued that the reform was essential to prevent long-term deficits in the pension system. At the time, Macron said he did not enjoy passing the reform but called it a necessity, saying 'the longer we wait, the more (the deficit) will deteriorate.' As well as increasing the age of retirement, France has also hiked the minimum contributory requirements by 2 per cent this year across all bands. The minimum contribution applies to retirement pensions under its Pension Insurance scheme. Germany In Germany, the retirement age is gradually being raised from 65 to 67. Like many governments across Europe, it is trying to reduce pressure on the pension system created by aging populations. Last year, it approved pension reform and its new government has set out a series of policies that include maintaining the amount paid to retirees each month - which is 48 per cent of the average monthly salary.


The Independent
2 minutes ago
- The Independent
Jeremy Corbyn reveals new political party ‘that belongs to you'
Jeremy Corbyn has confirmed he is setting up a new political party with Zarah Sultana. The former Labour Party leader stated it is 'time for a new kind of political party - one that belongs to you'. Zarah Sultana previously announced plans for a new left-wing party, citing a broken Westminster and wealth inequality. She aims to offer an alternative to 'managed decline and broken promises'. Neil Kinnock criticised the move, calling it a 'Farage assistance party' that would 'only assist the parties of the right', including Kemi Badenoch 's Conservatives and Reform UK.