The handling of data in the UK Ministry of Defence is “not good enough”, Ben Wallace admitted after a second blunder involving the team responsible for relocating Afghan allies to the UK was revealed.
The defence secretary told the PA news agency he was “pretty angry” about the situation.
But he said an investigation had been launched and steps had been taken to “make sure this doesn’t happen again”.
The BBC reported that dozens of people who may be eligible to come to the UK under the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (Arap) were mistakenly copied into an email this month.
Their email addresses were visible to all recipients, rather than being blind-copied to protect their identity.
Under the Arap programme, any Afghan who assisted UK efforts in Afghanistan, such as those who acted as interpreters, can apply to come to the UK due to their risk of persecution by the Taliban.
There are fears that they may be put at further risk by the breach if the information falls into the wrong hands.
The defence secretary told the UK Parliament on Tuesday that a staff member had been suspended following the first breach and that the second is now under investigation.
The BBC reported that the details of 55 people were included in the email referred to in the latest investigation.
Mr Wallace told PA during a visit to Rosyth that the second breach actually predated the first.
“That’s an older breach from the one I originally came to Parliament to announce,” he said.
“Subsequently, I’ve kicked off an investigation. I was unaware of this earlier, smaller breach. It’s not good enough. I’ve said that not only was I pretty angry at the time but also we’ve got to have an investigation and fix it.
“At the same time I’ve committed even more resources and people to make sure this doesn’t happen again and look after those people in Afghanistan. We’ve brought back over 8,000 people on the Arap scheme, that’s a significant number of people including their families dispersed around the United Kingdom, but there are 260 people left behind that we have to do our very best to get out.
“Those are the people, some of them, who are concerned by the leak, quite rightly. We will do everything we can to make sure they are protected and then work with neighbouring states to get them out.”
On Tuesday, Mr Wallace issued a House of Commons apology and told MPs he “immediately directed investigations” to take place after the previous breach involving more than 250 people.
Mr Wallace later confirmed Admiral Sir Ben Key, the commander of joint operations who led the planning and evacuation of Kabul, is leading the investigation and one person had been suspended.
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Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
'Nope'
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Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Honeymoonish
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Padmaavat
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
3.5/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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