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4h ago

MoD Cannot Verify Cost of Secret Afghan Relocation Plan, NAO Finds

The spending watchdog opened a full probe, citing secrecy under a near two‑year super‑injunction that left the scheme’s spending untracked.

Members of the UK Armed Forces taking part in the evacuation of entitled personnel from Kabul airport in Afghanistan in August 2021, after the Taliban stormed back to power. (Photo: Ben Shread/MoD/PA)
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British paratroopers during an operation in Afghanistan in 2008

Overview

  • The National Audit Office says the Ministry of Defence cannot calculate the total cost of the Afghanistan Response Route because ARR expenses were not recorded separately.
  • The MoD’s £850 million estimate to relocate 7,355 people lacks sufficient evidence and excludes at least £2.5 million in legal fees and any compensation liabilities.
  • The watchdog reports that the total number of people resettled in the UK as a result of the breach could reach up to 27,278 across schemes.
  • The department estimates about £400 million has been spent on ARR so far with a further £450 million expected, and puts whole‑of‑government costs at roughly £128,000 per person.
  • MPs on the Public Accounts Committee will question MoD officials next week, and the NAO plans a full investigation into Afghan resettlement costs to report next spring.