PAC to question MoD on Afghan data breach and F-35 fighter jet programme
The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) will hold an evidence session with senior Ministry of Defence (MoD) officials on Monday 8 September.
Meeting details
The session will have two panels – the first will take place at 3.30pm. The PAC will take evidence on the ARR scheme, informed by the NAO’s factual account.
The National Audit Office (NAO) has published a report on the Afghanistan Response Route (ARR) to support the Public Accounts Committee’s (PAC) scrutiny of the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
A second, separate panel will then be held at approx. 4.15pm on the UK’s F-35 fighter jet capability, also informed by the NAO’s equivalent report on the topic.
The ARR was set up by the MoD to mitigate the security risks arising from a data protection breach and the unauthorised disclosure of personal information about Afghan citizens which occurred in February 2022.
The NAO report found that the MoD does not know exact cost to date of the ARR scheme. HM Treasury (HMT) has also prepared a briefing note for the PAC on HMT’s understanding of rules and expectations for reporting the actual/estimated spending or contingency incurred following the data breach and in relation to spending on the ARR.
The second panel on the F-35 will take place at approx. 4.15pm. The NAO’s report found that the UK’s 37 F-35 jets significantly improve the armed forces’ warfighting capability. It also expressed the view that the capability achieved for the estimated £11bn spent to date is a disappointing return so far compared with MoD plans, even if other benefits have been significant.
The NAO found that, although the F-35 represents an upgrade on any previous UK aircraft, deliveries of it have been delayed by over a year; important capabilities such as the ability to attack ground targets from a safe distance have been delayed into the 2030s; and the aircraft are available to fly far less often than the MoD’s targets. The report further found that the MoD’s estimate of £18.8bn for whole life costs for the programme is likely a significant under-forecast, with NAO estimates putting it at £71bn at least. The PAC will explore how the MoD can better invest its resources in the F-35 programme, with other subject topics likely to include:
- Shortages of engineers, cyber workers, pilots and flying instructors;
- Slow maintenance and lack of spare parts driving the F-35’s availability issues;
- The delayed deliveries of the aircraft by over a year from the original plan.