politics
UK Civil Servants Played Grand Theft Auto in Taxpayer-Funded Research Project
Civil servants at the Department for Education joined members of the public in online Grand Theft Auto sessions during work hours as part of a research project run by Policy Lab. The unit conducted the sessions in late 2024 to gather participant perspectives through unconventional methods.
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Civil servants at the Department for Education participated in online sessions of the video game Grand Theft Auto during working hours as part of a taxpayer-funded research project conducted in late 2024.
The sessions were run by Policy Lab, an experimental government unit transferred to the Department for Education in 2020. Officials joined participants in the game to conduct focus groups and observe in-game interactions, according to a government blog.
Policy Lab stated the approach aimed to explore participants' lived experiences in what it described as an emotionally safe space. The unit has used similar unconventional techniques in other projects, including clay modelling workshops and Peruvian knot-tying exercises.
Office minister Mike Wood said the activity raised questions about use of public funds. He stated that hard-working families would be in disbelief that taxes were funding the sessions and that playing Grand Theft Auto was not among the skills civil servants require.
A government source noted that Policy Lab was established under a previous Conservative administration and said ministers were reviewing the projects. Policy Lab employs around 30 staff and focuses on design-led research techniques to inform policymaking.
