Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the lessons learned from the Afghanistan data loss incident.
Answered by Lord Coaker - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has commissioned several audits at various times since the data protection incident relating to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy to inform remediation plans. All recommendations from these audits have been accepted and are either complete or work-in-progress.
It is a key priority of this Government to reinforce data handling practices. Within the Defence Afghan Relocation and Resettlement (DARR) team we have introduced a new casework management system which prioritises data protection. We also recently completed a comprehensive review on legacy data held within this casework management system and historic email accounts to ensure information is held at the right security classification and within the right location, which also enhances the case-working capability. This includes the application of need-to-know principles, with shared sites locked down and proactively managed.
A new senior civil servant level Chief Information Officer was appointed within the DARR team in October 2024 with responsibility for a larger and more skilled data and information management team. They produced a data strategy in line with the Government Digital Services’ data maturity assessment and this is shaped by priorities as identified from the myriad internal and external audits.
We regularly emphasise the need to complete the relevant mandatory training across DARR and all current staff have completed it. Bespoke induction training includes security briefings and data protection training, and there are regular communications on protecting information and expected behaviours, including discussions at senior leadership level.
We are continuously investing in our cybersecurity infrastructure to ensure we remain resilient against evolving threats. Through targeted interventions, campaigns, and role-specific training, we are embedding a culture where every individual understands their role in safeguarding Defence. By reinforcing positive cyber habits and reducing human cyber risk, we are building a workforce that is confident, capable, and cyber secure.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assistance they are providing to victims of conflict-related sexual violence in Ethiopia; how this assistance will be affected by the cuts to Official Development Assistance; and how they are coordinating the responses to atrocity crimes in Ethiopia with other countries.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK has played a critical role in supporting survivor-centred humanitarian interventions in Ethiopia, particularly in response to conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) in Tigray and other conflict-affected regions. The UK has prioritised healthcare, psychosocial support, access to justice, as well as policy efforts to increase accountability. In the last financial year, we allocated £4.6 million to deliver Gender Based Violence (GBV) and child protection services in Tigray, Afar, Amhara, Oromia and Somali regions. Between June 2023 and January 2025, GBV and child protection services reached over 50,000 women and girls, across 19 health facilities in affected regions. The UK remains committed to preventing CRSV and funding for GBV prevention and response has increased this financial year. Funding for future years has not yet been allocated.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the judgment by the High Court in R (Al-Haq) v Secretary of State for Business and Trade [2025] EWHC 1615 (Admin) on 30 June, whether they plan to consider the incorporation of the Arms Trade Treaty into domestic law.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
The Government is fully committed to international law and acts in a manner that is consistent with our international obligations and commitments. We remain strongly committed to the Arms Trade Treaty and to act accordingly. Our export control regime remains consistent with our international obligations.