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The committee also questioned the decision not to declassify MPs, after then defense secretary Grant Shapps backtracked on plans to tell then shadow defense secretary John Healey about the breach.
Thursday’s report questioned the government’s general policy of not commenting on the Special Forces case, calling it “inappropriate” in light of the breach.
The committee added that the involvement of special forces “should not prevent Parliament and the public from understanding how administrative malpractice occurred”.
“Confidentiality has been easily used as a shield to prevent proper accountability in areas that are far from sensitive,” said Deci.
The UKSF’s role in the resettlement plan was questioned by the committee after it reported that the breach was due to its involvement in the decision to relocate Afghan special forces.
Although the committee could not establish this connection, it could neither “confirm nor deny” the government’s policy, but it raised concerns about the handling of these cases.
In the year In February 2024, BBC Panorama exposed the reality of British special forces. veto on Arab applications from their Afghan counterparts Looking to move to safety in the UK.
Afghan special forces have served alongside the UKSF on some of the conflict’s most dangerous missions and are among those most at risk of retaliation after the Taliban takeover.
Last year, the BBC obtained internal Modi documents – which were cited in the report – a British Special Forces officer personally rejects 1,585 resettlement applications from Afghanistan Within weeks of 2023 with a loyal bond with the Special Forces. A UKSF officer did not approve a single application during that period.
The rejection from the UKSF has left many fearing for their lives, with former members of the Afghan special forces living in hiding, telling the BBC.
One said he was questioned and beaten by the Taliban before escaping, while another said he escaped first but heard the Taliban went to his house looking for him.
“I’m living in a very bad situation. I’m in hiding and most of my family can’t live together and we can’t go out, we can’t work,” he said. “I feel like I’m left alone in the middle of hell.”
The government was due to announce a review in 2024 and since then 884 former Afghan Special Forces members, who served with the UKSF, have had their disqualifications overturned.
“The extent of subsequent reversals shows the seriousness of that failure,” the defense committee’s report said.
The UK government has closed ARAP to new applications until 2025, but the report says the government has a “special responsibility” for the Afghan special forces it wrongly rejected. Many of them submitted their applications by 2021, but are still living in fear of “government delays or mistakes”.
The Defense Secretary said former Afghan special forces who cannot escape to the UK will now face a legal challenge at the Royal Courts.
At Wednesday’s hearing, the court heard one family had “$200 left to survive”.
An MoD spokesman said: “This incident should never have happened and we recognize the significant impact it has had on so many people.
“Thousands of eligible Afghans have moved safely to the UK, where they can rebuild their lives, and we are committed to ensuring that we complete the Afghan resettlement program by the end of this Parliament.
“We are learning from this incident and important improvements have been made, including improved data protection standards, strengthened case management processes and better program management.
“We welcome public and parliamentary scrutiny of our actions, so we can learn more and be held accountable, and we will continue to work closely with the committee on this matter.”
