Afghanistan Response Route (ARR)

Public Accounts Committee Open Inquiry
Opened: 13 Oct 2025 Parliament page
The Afghanistan Response Route (ARR) was set up by the Ministry of Defence to mitigate the security risks arising from a data protection breach and the unauthorised disclosure of personal information about Afghan citizens which occurred in February 2022. The National Audit Office (NAO) has published a report on the … Read more
26 Conclusions
1 Report
4 Letters
Activity timeline 6 events
14 May
2026
Correspondence
20 Apr
2026
Correspondence
19 Jan
2026
Report published
14 Nov
2025
Report published
16 Oct
2025
Correspondence
3 Sep
2025
Correspondence
Title HC No. Published Items Response
54th Report - Afghanistan Response Route HC 1391 14 Nov 2025 26 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
5 results
Clear
4 Conclusion Deferred
54th Report - Afghanistan Response…
Establish agreement on information sharing for scrutiny and issue new super-injunction guidance
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 … Read more
Government Response
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.
HM Treasury
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6 Conclusion Deferred
54th Report - Afghanistan Response…
Treasury clarified reporting rules and guidance for spending following Afghan data breach.
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 … Read more
Government Response
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.
HM Treasury
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7 Conclusion Deferred
54th Report - Afghanistan Response…
Department estimates resettling up to 27,278 individuals due to Afghan data breach.
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 … Read more
Government Response
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.
HM Treasury
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8 Conclusion Deferred
54th Report - Afghanistan Response…
Identifying and contacting all high-risk individuals after data breach remains difficult.
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, … Read more
Government Response
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.
HM Treasury
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9 Conclusion Deferred
54th Report - Afghanistan Response…
Full resettlement of eligible individuals accepting offers will take several years.
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 … Read more
Government Response
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.
HM Treasury
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Government Response AI assessment · 17 of 0 classified
Accepted 6
Acknowledged 3
Deferred 5
Not Addressed 2
Rejected 1
Total 0 recs + 26 conclusions
Correspondence 4 letters
14 May 2026 To committee Letter from the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence relating to Afghanistan Resettlement Programme Update, 28 April 2026
Parliament page
20 Apr 2026 To committee Letter from the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Defence to the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee Chair relating to Afghanistan Response Route, 2 April 2026
Parliament page
16 Oct 2025 To committee Letter from the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence relating to the February 2022 Afghan Data Incident follow up information, 07 October 2025
Parliament page
3 Sep 2025 To committee Letter from the Treasury Officer of Accounts at HM Treasury relating to the spending incurred following the Afghan data leak and in relation to expenditure on the Afghan Response Route, 26 August 2025
Parliament page