LONDON — Prime Minister Keir Starmer has demanded accountability from the previous Conservative government over a covert resettlement programme for Afghans following a major data breach. Starmer described the affair as raising significant constitutional and financial concerns for ministers who initiated the secret relocation effort.

🔍 What Happened

  • In February 2022, a Ministry of Defence official accidentally emailed a spreadsheet revealing the personal details of nearly 19,000 Afghans who had applied under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP).

  • A super‑injunction was granted in September 2023, preventing any public discussion of the breach or the existence of the court order. This gag remained in force until July 2025, limiting parliamentary and media oversight.

🛂 The Covert Relocation Program

  • In response, the government quietly launched the Afghanistan Response Route (ARR) to relocate those deemed at highest risk.

  • To date, around 4,500 individuals—comprising approximately 900 applicants and 3,600 family members—have been settled in the UK or are in transit. More arrivals were expected before the scheme closed.

💷 Costs & Controversy

  • The cost directly linked to the ARR is estimated at £850 million, addressing the specific fallout from the data breach.

  • Broader resettlement initiatives since 2021 are estimated to cost up to £6 billion, with some internal estimates previously cited at £7 billion.

⚖️ Accountability & Political Fallout

  • Starmer emphasised the government’s obligation to protect Afghan allies while stressing that ministers responsible under the previous administration must answer for the secretive operation and breaches of transparency.

  • Speaker Lindsay Hoyle highlighted serious constitutional concerns, prompting procedural reviews.

  • The Public Accounts Committee is scheduled to hold hearings in Autumn 2025 to probe the financial and administrative dimensions of the scheme.

🧠 Significance

  • The controversy has sparked debate over government secrecy, the use of super‑injunctions, and whether the response was proportionate to the actual risk posed.

  • Independent reviews have found limited evidence that the Taliban used the leaked data, raising questions about the necessity and legality of the prolonged secrecy and the scale of the resettlement operation.

  • Millions in public funds were spent without parliamentary oversight, creating concerns about democratic accountability and administrative malpractice.

⚠️ Numbers at a Glance

Metric Figure
Data breach impact ~19,000 Afghan applicants
Relocations via ARR ~4,500 individuals
Expected total relocations ~6,900 under ARR
ARR estimated cost ~£850 million
Total Afghan resettlement cost Up to £6 billion

✔️ What Next

  • Government officials, including Defence Secretary John Healey, have offered public apologies and defended the scheme as necessary to protect lives.

  • Parliament’s committees will now examine the operational and financial accountability of the covert programme.

  • Legal action has been initiated by affected individuals, and inquiries into data governance and emergency response protocols are underway.

Striking a balance between national security and democratic transparency, the issue poses enduring challenges for governing norms and public trust