ONE Westminster Government department is so successful that it is to be mutualised, which is different from being privatised.
The nudge unit (or Behavioural Insights Team to use the Sunday name) is to become a profit-making joint venture owned by the government, staff, and a commercial partner. The privatisation comes further down the line when the Government flogs its share to the commercial partner.
The unit's success may be down to the fact it is not staffed by civil servants or political advisers but savvy academics who apply research in behavioural economics and psychology to public policy and services. Most of the behavioural nudges are just commonsense. Such as increasing the uptake of insulation grants by providing cheap skips for clearing out lofts.
Skilful re-wording of final demand letters for income tax and court fines saw significant improvement in collection rates. Trials on reducing food waste at buffet restaurants worked by offering diners smaller plates. And telling them that going up for second helpings is encouraged.
A great nudge idea – not yet in use – is to have obese people sign a contract to promise, in the event of a failure to lose weight, to make a contribution to their arch-rival football team. Think of a large person in the Celtic hoops having the choice of cutting back on calories or donating cash to the financial reconstruction of The Rangers FC.
The Behavioural Insights Team was criticised recently for a self-assessment test it produced for job seekers. The complaint was that no matter what answers were given, the verdict delivered was that the respondent was a splendid person destined for success in whatever employment endeavour they pursued. Which is nice and positive.
The Government will have to be careful which commercial partner takes over the nudge unit. Obviously not a company connected to tobacco, alcohol, or fast food. Readers may recall a previous nudge, nudge, wink, wink, say-no-more initiative which was hijacked.
I refer of course to Eric Idle's famous sketch on Monty Python which ended up being used in TV advertisements to promote Breakaway suggestive digestive biscuits.
More power to the Behavioural Insights Team. If they have time, they might consider a wee nudge for Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne. His suitcases packed and ready on the doorstep of Number 11. And a few words in his ear about how excessive austerity causes poverty and does not save the economy.
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