The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has commissioned several audits at various times since the data protection incident relating to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy to inform remediation plans. All recommendations from these audits have been accepted and are either complete or work-in-progress.

It is a key priority of this Government to reinforce data handling practices. Within the Defence Afghan Relocation and Resettlement (DARR) team we have introduced a new casework management system which prioritises data protection. We also recently completed a comprehensive review on legacy data held within this casework management system and historic email accounts to ensure information is held at the right security classification and within the right location, which also enhances the case-working capability. This includes the application of need-to-know principles, with shared sites locked down and proactively managed.

A new senior civil servant level Chief Information Officer was appointed within the DARR team in October 2024 with responsibility for a larger and more skilled data and information management team. They produced a data strategy in line with the Government Digital Services’ data maturity assessment and this is shaped by priorities as identified from the myriad internal and external audits.

We regularly emphasise the need to complete the relevant mandatory training across DARR and all current staff have completed it. Bespoke induction training includes security briefings and data protection training, and there are regular communications on protecting information and expected behaviours, including discussions at senior leadership level.

We are continuously investing in our cybersecurity infrastructure to ensure we remain resilient against evolving threats. Through targeted interventions, campaigns, and role-specific training, we are embedding a culture where every individual understands their role in safeguarding Defence. By reinforcing positive cyber habits and reducing human cyber risk, we are building a workforce that is confident, capable, and cyber secure.

The Ministry of Defence is aware of recent reports in the press citing South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff that DPRK has subsequently deployed a further 3,000 additional troops in support of Russian Forces in Kursk.

As stated by the Foreign Secretary previously, such cooperation between Russia and the DPRK is not only in violation of multiple UNSC resolutions, but also prolongs the suffering of the Ukrainian people and threatens global security, including those in the ROK and the UK, and demonstrates the desperation of the DPRK and Russia. We are committed to providing the support Ukraine requires to secure a just and lasting peace.

The Reviewers will make their final report to the Prime Minister, the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Defence in the spring of 2025. The Secretary of State for Defence will subsequently publish a version of that report to Parliament. It will then be implemented by the Department.

The Ministry of Defence does not routinely comment on future deployments for reasons of operational security. However, the UK has a clear interest in peace and stability in the East and South China Seas along with the Taiwan Strait, and remains committed to upholding international law and to freedom of navigation.

The Government is taking a consistent, long term and strategic approach to managing the UK’s relations with China, rooted in UK and global interests, by co-operating where we can as fellow permanent members of the UN Security Council. But we will also compete where we have different interests and challenge where we must, to protect our national security and values.

The bilateral defence relationship with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) plays an important role in this, including recent senior military attendance at the PLA Anniversary Reception in London, where UK attendance was agreed in June 2024.