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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Holly Bishop

Defence secretary issues apology over MoD data breach which put thousands of lives at risk

Defence secretary John Healey has offered a "sincere apology” following a data breach that put the lives of nearly 100,000 Afghans at risk of being killed by the Taliban.

Speaking to MPs in parliament on Tuesday (15 July), Mr Healey revealed that a leaked spreadsheet which contained the details of 25,000 Afghan asylum applicants, as well as MPs and senior military officers, was mistakenly sent out in February 2022.

He said: “This serious data incident should never have happened.

“It may have occurred three years ago under the previous government, but to all those whose information was compromised, I offer a sincere apology today on behalf of the British Government, and I trust the shadow defence secretary, as a former defence minister, will join me.”

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