MoD Permanent Secretary to Step Down following Afghan data breach

The Ministry of Defence's chief civil servant, Permanent Secretary David Williams, is to be replaced following the 2022 personal data breach that compromised the identities of British spies, soldiers, and Afghan allies, prompting a super-injunction.

Defence Secretary John Healey reportedly had a conversation with Mr Williams before the leak became public, indicating that it was the "right time to make a change." Although a source noted that permanent secretaries typically serve for five years and Mr Williams had been in post since 2021, they added that a recent Defence Review and subsequent restructuring made it an "appropriate time for a transition."

A Labour MP and chairman of the defence select committee, Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, acknowledged Mr Williams's service but emphasised the seriousness of the breach and confirmed that a committee inquiry would investigate how it was allowed to happen.

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