The government’s ‘nudge unit’ has always been regarded as radical – or a bit wacky, depending on your outlook – and now this Cabinet Office division, officially known as the Behavioural Insights Team, is getting a bit more radical. It’s going into the private sector. A source close to Cabinet Office Minister Francis Maude says the government is looking for a commercial partner for a joint venture in which the unit would become a profit-making enterprise:
‘As a mutual they will combine the benefits of private-sector experience and investment with the innovation and commitment from staff leadership. This accelerates our drive to make public assets pay their way.’
The nudge unit has had to prove its worth since being set up, but now it could prove the value of involving the private sector in a leaner Whitehall model. If it’s a success, expect ministers to make the case for similar ventures with other such units.
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