Defence Secretary John Healey has offered a "sincere apology" for a massive data breach which exposed details of Afghans who had helped British troops, triggering a secret evacuation scheme and an unprecedented legal cover-up.
He told the Commons: "My first concern has been to notify as many as possible affected by the data incident and provide them with further advice.
"The MoD (Ministry of Defence) has done this this morning, although I have to say to the House, it has not been possible to contact every individual on the dataset, due to its incomplete and out-of-date information.
"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.”
