15 Jan 26. Former Ministers to be questioned by MPs on Afghan data breach.
Evidence Session: Afghan Data Breach and Resettlement Schemes
Tuesday 20 January 2026, 10.15, Wilson Room
Watch on parliamentlive.tv
The Defence Committee will question former Secretaries of State for Defence Sir Ben Wallace and Sir Grant Shapps, and former Minister of State for the Armed Forces, James Heappey, as it continues its inquiry into the Afghan data breach on Tuesday 20 January, at 10.15.
The session will cover the circumstances leading to the data breach, as well as ministerial decision-making between August 2023 when the breach was discovered and the July 2024 general election. This is likely to include scrutiny of the decisions:
- to seek a global injunction, to extend repeatedly the super-injunction granted by the High Court, and to appeal the Court’s decision to lift the super-injunction
- to establish a secret route for the evacuation of thousands of Afghans put at risk by the data breach
- to brief – or not to brief – other politicians about the situation.
Tuesday 20 January, 10.15am:
- Rt Hon Sir Ben Wallace, former Secretary of State for Defence
11.00am:
- Rt Hon James Heappey, former Minister of State for the Armed Forces
11.45am:
- Rt Hon Sir Grant Shapps, former Secretary of State for Defence