Latest news with #AfghanRelocationandAssistancePolicy
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Up to 7,000 Afghans being relocated to UK in secret scheme after MoD data breach
Almost 7,000 Afghan nationals are being relocated to the UK following a massive data breach by the British military that the government tried to keep secret with a super injunction. The blunder exposed the personal information of close to 20,000 individuals, endangering them and their families. The Ministry of Defence said the relocation costs alone will be around £850m. However, an internal government document from February this year said the cost could rise to £7bn. Details about the blunder can finally be made public after a judge lifted a super injunction that had been sought by the government. Barings Law, a law firm that is representing around 1,000 of the victims, accused the government of trying to hide the truth from the public following a lengthy legal battle. Defence Secretary John Healey offered a "sincere apology" for the data breach in a statement to MPs in the House of Commons this afternoon. He said he had felt "deeply concerned about the lack of transparency" around the data breach, adding: "No government wishes to withhold information from the British public, from parliamentarians or the press in this manner." The disaster is thought to have been triggered by the careless handling of an email that contained a list of the names and other details of around 20,000 Afghan nationals, who had been trying to apply to a British government scheme to support those who helped or worked with UK forces in Afghanistan that were fighting the Taliban between 2001 and 2021. The collapse of the western-backed Afghan government that year, saw the Taliban return to power. The new government regards anyone who worked with British or other foreign forces during the previous two decades as a traitor. The source said a small number of people named on the list are known to have subsequently been killed though it is not clear if this was a direct result of the data breach. It is also not clear whether the Taliban has the list - only that the Ministry of Defence lost control of the information. Adnan Malik, head of data protection at Barings Law, said: "This is an incredibly serious data breach, which the Ministry of Defence has repeatedly tried to hide from the British public. "It involved the loss of personal and identifying information about Afghan nationals who have helped British forces to defeat terrorism and support security and stability in the region. "A total of around 20,000 individuals have been affected, putting them and their loved ones at serious risk of violence from opponents and armed groups." The law firm is working with around 1,000 of those impacted "to pursue potential legal action". Read more: It is thought that only a minority of the names on the list - about 10 to 15% - would have been eligible for help under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP). However, the breach means a much larger pool of people now potentially have a claim to request assistance or even to leave Afghanistan, fearing for their own security. "Through its careless handling of such sensitive information, the Ministry of Defence has put multiple lives at risk, damaged its own reputation, and put the success of future operations in jeopardy by eroding trust in its data security measures," Mr Malik said. "Our claimants continue to live with the fear of reprisal against them and their families, when they should have been met with gratitude and discretion for their service. We would expect substantial financial payments for each claimant in any future legal action. While this will not fully undo the harm they have been exposed to, it will enable them to move forward and rebuild their lives." While the Ministry of Defence's data breach is by far the largest involving Afghan nationals, it is not the first. Earlier this month, the MOD said Afghans impacted by a separate mistake could claim up to £4,000 in compensation four years after the incident happened. Human error resulted in the personal information of 265 Afghans who had worked alongside British troops being shared with hundreds of others who were on the same email distribution list in September 2021. In December 2023 the UK information commissioner fined the Ministry of Defence (MoD) £350,000 and said the "egregious" breach could have been life-threatening.
South Wales Argus
24-06-2025
- Politics
- South Wales Argus
Councillor Mary Ann Brocklesby on reaction to mosque
This is planned for the former Carnegie Library building on Baker Street in the town centre. The Grade II listed building has been owned and used by the council for some years but is now empty and we agreed to lease or sell the building. The local councillor, Laura Wright, and I spent some time talking to residents in the area and have been reassured by the local reaction, which has been almost entirely positive. This appears to be in contrast to some of the less well-informed manoeuvres which have perhaps presented a more un-wholesome face of Monmouthshire, much of it on social media. On the doorstep, we were able to provide more information for those who had initial worries. We listened to concerns, mostly arising from mis-information about what the development could entail. In fact, residents were pleased to learn of the big plusses: the building will be open to wider community use for events, celebrations and classes. What has reassured me is that underneath some very unhelpful moves, almost all local people have shown a warm, positive response to multi-culturalism, to inclusion, friendship and tolerance. There is currently too little provision locally for the Monmouthshire Muslims who have diverse racial and cultural backgrounds. Actually, this chimes well with the overall approach in our county, which is well on its way to becoming an official county of sanctuary. In fact, only last week, Abergavenny's own Town of Sanctuary group (AToS) won a Welsh national award for their outstanding work. The voluntary group supports sanctuary seekers and refugees with a range of services - from English language cafés and sewing circles, to job clubs, mentoring, sports, coach trips, and practical resettlement support. Their work exemplifies the best of Monmouthshire - kindness, action, and community spirit. We actively support refugees through various schemes, including the Refugee Resettlement Scheme, Asylum dispersal, and the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy. The county has been involved in resettling refugees since 2016, many of them Afghans who assisted the British Army. We are also involved in the "Homes for Ukraine" scheme, with a significant number of Ukrainian refugees hosted in Monmouthshire. And the crucial role of local communities has been so impressive and reassuring. Those who try to present a different face to our tolerant and welcoming people do themselves, and us, no service. Councillor Mary Ann Brocklesby is leader of Monmouthshire County Council.
