DWP Central Freedom of Information Team
Annex A
e-mail: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.
gov.uk
Our Ref: 2134
4 June 2013
Annex A
Dear Mr Reynolds,
Thank you for your Freedom of Information request received on 8 May 2013. You asked for:-
1/ Why did personality tests go ahead in Essex, despite being given
permission to do so?
2/ Who gave the go ahead for Psychometric tests, part of NEURO
LINGUISTIC PROGRAMMING, to be used on uk citizens?
3/ How would it make people make "better choices"?
4/ Who was the author of the "My Strengths" character survey that
was used on claimants?
5/ What relevance were the questions in the survey, other than mind
programming?
6/ Who was the civil servant from the "Nudge Team" who approached
VIA to use a slimmed down version?
7/ Why was a non validated version used if the test showed it to be
a failure?
8/ Show evidence to support that the test was "scientifically shown
to show peoples strengths"?
9/ Have complaints of the surveys improper use been lodged with the
British Psychological Society and Health and Care Professions
Council?
10/ Has there been any feedback from these organisations?
11/ Who are the qualified psychologists that work for the NUDGE
UNIT, who signed off the project?
12/ Why were people being deceived and coerced into something that
they had no knowledge of?
13/ How much money has the DWP paid to the NUDGE UNIT?
14/ Could the £520.000 per annum cabinet office be seen as a
complete waste of time and money given that it is up for sale?
We can confirm that this response has been drafted in conjunction with the Behavioural
Insights Team at the Cabinet Office who were responsible for the piloting of this tool. For any
technical queries relating to this issue please contact:
Correspondence Team
70 Whitehall
London
SW1A 2AS
Email xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xxx.xx
General enquiries 020 7276 1234
Firstly, a number of the points which you raise are not asking for information held by the DWP
but for opinions on issues raised in a newspaper article – questions 2, 3, 5, 8, 12,and 14. The
Freedom of Information (FoI) Act allows for the providing of recorded information held by the
DWP. It is not intended as an opportunity to debate issues or provide opinions. Therefore we
cannot provide a response to these points.
In response to the remainder of your request please see the following:
Questions 1 and 6 – the pilot in Essex was a local Jobcentre Plus initiative in conjunction with
the Cabinet Office. The Cabinet Office continues to have a good working relationship with the
VIA institute and the Cabinet Office is continuing to work together with VIA to determine the
best way to help claimants identify their strengths.
Question 4 - the ‘My Strengths’ exercise comes from the work of Professor Martin Seligman.
See references below for details.
Question 7 – ‘My Strengths’ is based on a wide area of academic research. This research
shows that helping people self-identify their strengths can be a useful part of a portfolio of tools
that help improve wellbeing. The ‘My Strengths’ exercise was adapted from wide academic
literature to make it easier for UK claimants to use.
Questions 9 and 10 - DWP has not received any complaints or comments from the British
Psychological Society or the Health and Care Professions Council.
Question 11 - the decisions of the Cabinet Office Behavioural Insights Team are made by
members of the team in coordination with their managers. The team has a number of
psychologists and economists.
Claimants were offered the ‘My Strengths’ exercise with a full explanation of its purpose.
Question 13 - the ‘My Strengths’ incurred zero cost to government.
Papers used in the development of ‘My Strengths’ include:
Reivich KJ, Seligman MEP, McBride S. Master resilience training in the US Army. American
Psychologist. 2011;66(1):25.
Seligman MEP, Steen TA, Park N, Peterson C. Positive psychology progress: empirical
validation of interventions. American Psychologist. 2005;60(5):410.
Park N, Peterson C, Seligman MEP. Strengths of character and well-being. Journal of Social
and Clinical Psychology. 2004;23(5):603-19.
Park N, Peterson C, Seligman MEP. Character strengths in fifty-four nations and the fifty US
states. 2006; 1(3):118-129.
If you have any queries about this letter please contact me quoting the reference number
above.
Yours sincerely,
DWP | Operations
DWP Central FoI Team
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Your right to complain under the Freedom of Information Act
If you are not happy with this response you may request an internal review by e-mailing freedom-of-information-
xxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xxx.xx or by writing to DWP, Central FoI Team, Caxton House, Tothill Street, London, SW1H
9NA. Any review request should be submitted within two months of the date of this letter.
If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review you may apply directly to the Information
Commissioner’s Office for a decision. Generally the Commissioner cannot make a decision unless you have
exhausted our own complaints procedure. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: The Information
Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow Cheshire SK9 5AF www.ico.gov.uk