Recommendations & Conclusions
5 items
4
Conclusion
54th Report - Afghanistan Response Route
Deferred
The Department failed in its responsibility to enable effective scrutiny by the Public Accounts Committee and the National Audit Office. Ministers decided who should be informed about, or ‘read in to’, the super- injunction, balancing the need to know against further increasing the risk to the lives of those affected. …
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The Department failed in its responsibility to enable effective scrutiny by the Public Accounts Committee and the National Audit Office. Ministers decided who should be informed about, or ‘read in to’, the super- injunction, balancing the need to know against further increasing the risk to the lives of those affected. The data loss was not publicly disclosed in the House of Commons, nor reported in the Department’s Annual Report and 4 Accounts for 2023–24. Nor did the Department inform the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee or the Comptroller and Auditor General in confidence. The Department’s Permanent Secretary told us that, from an accounting officer perspective, the period in question had been “deeply uncomfortable”. The Department did brief the NAO audit director at the time of auditing the 2023–24 accounts that there was a secret matter that could not be shared, and it meant there was a data breach that had not been included in the governance statement in the accounts. There was no briefing of the NAO about the operational consequences, the number of people affected, or the likely cost. The audit director was told that they could not pass on any information to anyone else at the NAO. This was not sufficient to enable the NAO to do its job, which is to support the C&AG to provide assurance to Parliament on the Department’s use of public money. recommendation a. The Department should agree with the Committee and the Comptroller and Auditor General how it will ensure they have sufficient and timely information to enable them to undertake their roles in the context of any similar situations in the future. b. The Treasury Officer of Accounts should issue new guidance on how Accounting Officers should act in the event of super-injunctions.
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Government response AI summary
The government's response is irrelevant, discussing BBC Studios' content production and intellectual property targets, and completely fails to address the recommendation regarding information sharing with the Committee and Comptroller and Auditor General on super-injunctions or new guidance from the Treasury.
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HM Treasury
6
Conclusion
54th Report - Afghanistan Response Route
Deferred
We received a written submission from the Treasury Officer of Accounts at HM Treasury (the Treasury). This letter, which is published on the Committee’s inquiry page, set out:10 • the Treasury’s understanding of the reporting rules and expectations related to spending following the Afghan data protection breach and in relation …
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We received a written submission from the Treasury Officer of Accounts at HM Treasury (the Treasury). This letter, which is published on the Committee’s inquiry page, set out:10 • the Treasury’s understanding of the reporting rules and expectations related to spending following the Afghan data protection breach and in relation to expenditure on the ARR; and • guidance from the Treasury on publishing information in the Annual Report and Accounts, and on providing information in confidence to the Public Accounts Committee and the National Audit Office (NAO). The impact of the data breach
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Government response AI summary
The government's response is irrelevant, discussing the BBC's 'Across the UK programme' and content commissioning, and completely fails to address the conclusion regarding the Treasury Officer of Accounts' submission on reporting rules and guidance for the Public Accounts Committee and NAO.
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HM Treasury
7
Conclusion
54th Report - Afghanistan Response Route
Deferred
At the end of July 2025, the Department estimated that it would resettle 7,355 people through the ARR scheme as a direct result of the February 2022 data breach. This included 1,531 ‘principals’ (initial applicants) 6 C&AG’s Report, para 8 7 C&AG’s Report, para 22 8 C&AG’s Report, paras 9, …
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At the end of July 2025, the Department estimated that it would resettle 7,355 people through the ARR scheme as a direct result of the February 2022 data breach. This included 1,531 ‘principals’ (initial applicants) 6 C&AG’s Report, para 8 7 C&AG’s Report, para 22 8 C&AG’s Report, paras 9, 10, 17 9 C&AG’s Report para 9, Q 1 10 Letter from the Treasury Officer of Accounts, 26 August 2025 8 and their family members.11 A further estimated 16,108 people who were affected by the data breach were eligible to be resettled through the ARAP scheme because they or a family member worked with the UK government in Afghanistan in exposed or meaningful roles.12 The Department is also reviewing some rejected applications from people in the Afghanistan special forces, and it estimated that these applications could result in a total of up to 27,278 people affected by the data breach being resettled in the UK.13
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the recommendation but then provides a response entirely focused on measures to tackle illegal meat imports, including stepping up communications, developing a strategic approach with Dover Port Health Authority, and considering increased funding for them.
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HM Treasury
8
Conclusion
54th Report - Afghanistan Response Route
Deferred
We asked the Department how it obtained assurance that those put at the highest risk from the data breach were identified and contacted.14 The Department told us that it undertook a risk assessment almost immediately after the breach was discovered, to understand which individuals were at highest risk, what that …
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We asked the Department how it obtained assurance that those put at the highest risk from the data breach were identified and contacted.14 The Department told us that it undertook a risk assessment almost immediately after the breach was discovered, to understand which individuals were at highest risk, what that risk was and what the Department could do to mitigate it.15 The Department said that this was a difficult exercise which took many months because of the way the data were stored in the spreadsheet. The Department told us that there are a “handful” of principal applicants whom it has not yet contacted. The Department said this was because identifying people in Afghanistan is not straightforward and that, once it had identified an individual, it was difficult to make contact because some of the contact details that the Department holds are out of date.16
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the recommendation but then details its work on animal vaccine availability and supply, including plans for a five-year multi-stakeholder Action Plan in late 2026, and efforts related to Bluetongue 3, avian influenza, and Bovine TB vaccines.
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HM Treasury
9
Conclusion
54th Report - Afghanistan Response Route
Deferred
We asked the Department how confident it was that it would be able to resettle all those individuals, and how long it would take. The Department said that the estimate of 7,355 was a “maximalist projection” because it expected that around 80% of eligible principals would take up the offer …
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We asked the Department how confident it was that it would be able to resettle all those individuals, and how long it would take. The Department said that the estimate of 7,355 was a “maximalist projection” because it expected that around 80% of eligible principals would take up the offer of resettlement.17 The Department said that it would be some years before all eligible individuals who accept the offer of resettlement were relocated to the UK.18 According to Home Office immigration statistics published in August 2025, 3,383 people had arrived in the UK under the ARR by June 2025.19 11 C&AG’s Report, para 26 12 C&AG’s Report, Figures 1, 3 13 C&AG’s Report, para 28 14 Q 45 15 Qq 31, 45 16 Qq 46, 60, 63 17 Q 61 18 Q 62 19 C&AG’s Report, para 29 9 Managing sensitive and personal information
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the recommendation but then provides details about ongoing work related to a Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement with the EU, strengthening animal disease resilience, and integrating various biosecurity and veterinary strategies.
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HM Treasury