Sir Ben Wallace defended the injunction, stating that public disclosure could endanger those needing assistance and that the move was not a cover-up.

The official believed they were sending a small dataset of about 150 rows but inadvertently shared a much larger, sensitive dataset, prompting a legal injunction to prevent reporting.

The leak resulted in the establishment of a secret Afghan relocation scheme, costing approximately £400 million so far, with a total projected cost of around £850 million to relocate about 6,900 individuals.

The Ministry of Defence only acknowledged the breach in August 2023 when parts of the dataset were leaked on Facebook, leading to a court-ordered superinjunction to protect those at risk from the Taliban.

Defence Secretary John Healey confirmed the official responsible for the leak is no longer in their Afghan role but did not specify disciplinary measures.

An independent review in June 2025 concluded that the leaked dataset is unlikely to significantly alter the Taliban’s understanding of individuals of interest, despite the high risks involved.

A data breach in February 2022 led to the accidental release of personal information of nearly 19,000 Afghan relocation applicants, with over 33,000 rows of sensitive data mistakenly shared by a defence official.

It is estimated that between 80,000 and 100,000 people, including families of those who applied for the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy, could be at risk due to the leak, raising fears of Taliban retribution.

Both Labour and Conservative leaders issued public apologies for the data breach, acknowledging its serious implications and the mistake that put many at risk.

Wallace also emphasized that he makes 'no apology' for applying for the injunction to prevent reporting on the leak, citing concerns over endangering lives.

Healey publicly apologized on behalf of the government, expressing regret over the inability to discuss the issue earlier due to the injunction.