A serious security breach occurred during a UK parliamentary committee hearing when sensitive details of Afghan interpreters seeking relocation to Britain were accidentally displayed on screen during a live broadcast.
The Defence Committee was reviewing evidence about the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme when a shared screen visible to all viewers revealed highly confidential information including names, email addresses, and contact details of applicants.
Live Stream Exposure
The breach happened during a routine committee session that was being broadcast live on Parliament TV and YouTube. Committee chair John Woodcock MP immediately suspended the hearing upon realizing the security lapse, but the information had already been visible for several minutes.
This incident raises urgent questions about parliamentary security protocols, particularly when handling sensitive cases involving individuals at risk of Taliban persecution.
Afghan Lives at Risk
Many of the affected individuals are former interpreters and support staff who worked alongside British forces in Afghanistan. Their safety has been increasingly threatened since the Taliban regained control of the country.
The exposed data could potentially identify applicants still in Afghanistan or neighbouring countries, putting them and their families in immediate danger from Taliban forces who actively target those who assisted Western military operations.
Official Response and Investigation
A House of Commons spokesperson confirmed the incident, stating: "We are aware of the incident and the matter has been referred to the relevant parliamentary security authorities for immediate investigation."
The Ministry of Defence has been notified and is assessing the potential impact on affected individuals. Security experts have been drafted to implement damage control measures and provide support to those whose information was compromised.
This security lapse represents one of the most significant data protection failures in recent parliamentary history and highlights the ongoing challenges in protecting vulnerable applicants through the ARAP scheme.
