Furious members of the UK Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) have launched a scathing rebuke against ministers after discovering they were kept in the dark for three years about a massive data breach affecting tens of thousands of Afghan nationals.
The breach, linked to the UK’s Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP), is now being described by the committee as an “appalling” and unprecedented failure of government transparency.
The ISC, a statutory body tasked with scrutinising intelligence and security services, was never informed about the breach, despite its oversight duties. What has caused further uproar is that the individual responsible was not dismissed, and the matter remained hidden from the ISC, the public, and key oversight bodies for three years.
In a strongly worded letter to ministers, ISC chairman Lord Beamish insisted that there were “no grounds” for withholding such information. Stressing the legal obligations of government departments, he declared, “We are not like a normal parliamentary select committee, we are a statutory committee, so the government has to provide us with what we have asked for.”
The chairman further expressed disbelief that such a critical matter was kept secret: “This has never happened before in my experience. There was no grounds for it.”
He dismissed claims that the information was withheld due to its defence-related nature. Referring to former defence secretary Ben Wallace’s justification, Lord Beamish said, “That is complete nonsense.”
“We have a clear role in defence intelligence as well. The idea, as well that there was a concern about sharing official secrets with the committee, is nonsense as well.”
Lord Beamish
MPs Vow To Probe Cover-Up
He described the evasion of oversight as “something completely new” and pledged the committee would now consider launching a full inquiry. This could involve summoning current and former ministers, as well as civil servants, for questioning.
In the wake of the controversy, the ISC has formally demanded the immediate release of a comprehensive set of documents related to the breach. These include Defence Intelligence (DI) and Joint Intelligence Organisation assessments, a closed judgment from Mr Justice Chamberlain dated July 15, the closed version of Paul Rimmer’s review, and all other relevant ARAP scheme materials.
In the committee’s official statement following its Thursday meeting, Lord Beamish stated: “The committee has today written to require, under the statutory powers the committee has in the Justice and Security Act 2013, that Defence Intelligence (DI) and Joint Intelligence Organisation assessments be provided to it immediately.”
He also demanded that the government explain why its legal counsel told the Court of Appeal that material relating to the breach could not be shared with the ISC.
“The committee has also asked to be provided with the basis on which government counsel advised the Court of Appeal that material relating to the data loss could not be shared with this committee, given that under the Justice and Security Act 2013, classification or sensitivity of material is not grounds on which information can be withheld from the ISC.”
Lord Beamish
Former Tory defence secretary Ben Wallace has taken full responsibility for the initial breach and the legal injunction that followed to suppress its publication. His successor, Sir Grant Shapps, along with armed forces minister James Heappey and former prime minister Rishi Sunak, who presided during the concealment, have yet to issue public statements.
The silence from these senior figures stands in contrast to Labour defence secretary John Healey, who lifted the superinjunction earlier this week. Healey also commissioned a formal review of the incident led by Paul Rimmer and authorised the release of key findings.
With the veil now lifted, the ISC is expected to move swiftly. According to Lord Beamish, once members have reviewed the documents, they may call for hearings and seek full accountability for what is shaping up to be one of the most serious lapses in parliamentary and public oversight in recent years.
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