Overview

• David Williams, who has led the department since 2021, confirmed he will step down this autumn and the search for his successor is under way.
• Last month’s lifting of a super-injunction revealed that a February 2022 error exposed sensitive data for years without public knowledge.
• The breach exposed names and locations of up to 100,000 Afghan nationals who assisted UK forces alongside details of over 100 British special forces and MI6 personnel.
• Defence Secretary John Healey labelled the incident a serious departmental error and parliamentary figures have demanded individuals be held responsible.
• The incident has prompted a wider debate over operational security failures and the use of legal secrecy in defence operations.