LONDON, Sept 10 - Britain's new government said on Friday it plans to implement a proposal from a member of the public to sell off old office furniture as part of efforts to cut a gaping budget deficit.
The Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government, in power since May, has put taming the deficit — 11 percent of national output — at the heart of its economic policy.
Seeking public engagement, the Treasury has set up a website, Spending Challenge, inviting people to share ideas on how to save money, receiving more than 100,000 suggestions, some more serious than others — one person advocates abolishing money altogether.
In a statement on Friday, the Treasury said it would take three of the ideas onboard including a proposal to sell off spare office furniture via the Internet.
"The government will now pilot the use of an online auction site to sell on surplus and second-hand government equipment," it said.
"The website will allow all government departments to sell on old or unused equipment so that the money made can be reinvested in public services."
Under the plan, the Treasury said it would also reduce the number of criminal record checks for junior doctors in a measure that could save up to 1 million pounds ($1.5 million) a year.
The third idea was to distribute national insurance numbers with a letter rather than a plastic card which would also help save up to a million pounds a year.
"No one idea will solve the problems we face, but taken together they can make a real contribution to reducing the deficit and rebalancing the country’s economy at a crucial time," finance minister George Osborne said in the statement. "People’s ideas will have a real impact on the tough decisions ahead."
