The Ministry of Defence’s most senior civil servant has announced his departure this autumn, following controversy surrounding a significant security breach involving Afghan nationals.
David Williams informed departmental employees of his decision to leave, with recruitment for his replacement already in progress, according to The Times.
The exit comes as the department faces intense scrutiny over a data breach that compromised the safety of approximately 100,000 Afghans.
The incident, along with attempts to conceal it through legal measures, remained hidden from public view until reporting restrictions were removed last month.
The security lapse has generated substantial criticism regarding the MoD’s management of the situation and the extended period of secrecy enforced through a super-injunction.
The security breach occurred in February 2022 when a military personnel mistakenly transmitted extensive personal data to Afghan recipients whilst attempting to process asylum requests to Britain.
The error resulted in the exposure of sensitive information affecting tens of thousands of individuals.
The compromised data included details of over 100 British special forces personnel, intelligence officers from MI6, and military staff.
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David Williams informed departmental employees of his decision to leave
The leak also revealed location information for Afghan nationals who had applied for refuge in the United Kingdom.
The incident represented a severe operational failure with potentially fatal consequences for those whose identities were exposed.
The breach’s gravity was compounded by the fact that many affected individuals had assisted British forces and faced Taliban retribution.
Parliamentary figures have called for individuals to be held responsible for the breach, though John Healey, the Defence Secretary, declined to confirm whether anyone had been dismissed when questioned last month.
Defence Secretary John Healey said the relocation has cost the taxpayer £400million
The demand for accountability reflects the severity of the security failure and its potential consequences.
The situation has reportedly created friction between Williams and Healey, according to a Whitehall insider who described “tensions” between the two officials.
This strained relationship appears to have influenced the timing of Williams’ departure.
An MoD spokesman said: “Permanent secretary David Williams will step down this autumn and the recruitment process for his successor is under way.
“Since 2021, David has led the department through a period of significant activity, and we thank him for his contribution.”
The Ministry of Defence only became aware of the breach over a year after the release
Speaking in the Commons, Defence Secretary John Healey said the relocation has cost the taxpayer £400million and called the leak a “serious departmental error.”
The scheme is understood to have cost around £400million so far, with a projected cost once completed of around £850million.
However, millions more is expected to be paid in legal costs and compensation.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) only became aware of the breach over a year after the release.