MPs have called for the popular ‘right to buy’ scheme, in which council tenants are given the right to purchase their homes at discounted rates, to be extended by offering properties for sale on eBay.
The unconventional move is being touted as a means to improve ‘digital engagement’ and could be accompanied by moves to offer ‘help to buy’ mortgage guarantees on supermarket websites and a Green Deal home energy-efficiency package on Amazon.
The Commons public administration select committee said: “In order to use digital technology effectively in open policy-making, digital experts within the civil service and outside should work more closely with policy teams to explore opportunities for digital engagement.
“For example, the Department of Energy and Climate Change could trial the use of eBay, Amazon and supermarket websites to open up the Green Deal and allow residents to access this offer through established retail channels.
“The same approach could be tried using the Right To Buy, and the Help To Buy programmes.”
A range of options for introducing ‘open policy making’ were included in the report, all on a ‘wiki’ basis in which input is taken at every stage of the process.