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Update on Ex-Gratia Scheme Following 2021 Data Incident

04 July 2025

Proposing MP
Luke Pollard Lab Co-op
Plymouth Sutton and Devonport
Type
Written Ministerial Statement
Department
Ministry of Defence
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At a Glance

Issue Summary

The statement addresses a historical data handling incident involving the Afghan Relocation and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme where sensitive information was inadvertently shared with multiple recipients.

Action Requested

The Ministry of Defence will be contacting affected individuals to confirm their identity and provide an ex-gratia payment of up to £4,000 per individual. The total cost is expected to be around £1.6 million.

Key Facts

  • 277 individuals were affected by the data incident.
  • Group emails mistakenly made recipients’ email addresses visible in September 2021.
  • A Written Ministerial Statement was laid before the House on 13 December 2023 (HCWS118).
  • The total cost of compensation is expected to be £1.6 million.
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