The UK’s National Audit Office (NAO) says the Ministry of Defence (MoD) cannot accurately calculate the cost of a secret Afghan relocation scheme set up after a major data breach, BBC reported.
The MoD estimates the bill at £850m, but the NAO found no clear evidence to support this, noting costs were mixed in with wider resettlement spending. Legal fees and compensation are also excluded.
The 2022 leak exposed details of nearly 19,000 Afghans who aided British forces, leading to the creation of the Afghanistan Response Route in 2024 to resettle 7,000 more people. Overall costs are forecast to exceed £2bn.
The MoD said it remains committed to transparency and to honouring its obligations to Afghans who stood with the UK, according to BBC.
