British govt to sell extra furniture to cut deficit

The British government is to dispose off surplus office furniture to raise cash in order to cut the country’s budget deficit, according to a media report.

The surplus desks and chairs will be listed on an online auction site, where the public can bid for them. The idea was one of more than 100,000 sent in after British ministers asked the public to dream up ways of saving money, ‘The Sun’ reported.

Two other schemes have also got the government thumbs-up. Traditional National Insurance cards are to be scrapped, with people just getting a letter listing their number. And the number of background checks on junior doctors will be reduced.

The three measures are expected to save £3 million a year, according to British Chancellor George Osborne. He said: “We’re starting to put people’s ideas into practice. We’re tapping the experience of people working in the frontline of public services, instead of assuming ministers in Whitehall have all the answers. No one idea will solve the problems we face, but together they can contribute to reducing the deficit and rebalancing the economy at a crucial time. People’s ideas will have an impact on the tough decisions ahead.”