Digital ID, Afghan data breach & Information Security Review examined by Science Committee
The Science, Innovation and Technology Committee will hear from the Information Commissioner, John Edwards, on the UK data protection regulator’s response to the Afghan data breach and his wider remit on Tuesday, 21 October at 9:30am.
Following the announcement in July 2025 of a mass data leak concerning applicants to Afghan resettlement schemes, the committee has uncovered that the Cabinet Office commissioned an internal review into high-profile public sector breaches in 2023. The findings of this Information Security Review were only made public in August 2025 following a request from the committee chair Dame Chi Onwurah MP.
Meeting details
Given the involvement of the Information Commissioners Office (ICO) in the Ministry of Defence’s response to the data breach, MPs are likely to examine the ICO’s handling of the situation and its assessment of the review.
MPs could also explore the proposed introduction of a new digital ID and the rollout of facial recognition technology by police forces. The Committee may also examine how the ICO is working to ensure children, and the data online platforms are collecting on them, are protected online.