Traditional budget debate cancelled; a waste of time, say MPs
Wednesday 15 September 2010
The traditional two-day debate with the prime minister about the government's spending plans will not be held this year, parliamentary chairwoman Gerdi Verbeet confirmed on Wednesday.
Every year MPs debate the next year's budget with the prime minister, but say there is little point this year because the cabinet is acting in a caretaker capacity. The the budget will not contain any new policy initiatives.
The caretaker cabinet will publish its holding budget on September 21. MPs will debate the government's finances with caretaker finance minister Jan Kees de Jager on September 28 and 29, Verbeet said.
The outgoing government has agreed a package to cut government spending by €3.2bn next year, in line with its pledge to claw back any ministerial overspending.
Queen Beatrix traditionally opens the budget day ceremonies with a speech to MPs, outlining the government's policies for the next year. But the new cabinet will not have been finalised by then, and it is not clear what this will mean for the queen's speech.
Prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende is flying to New York on Tuesday for the United Nations general assembly.
See also: outgoing cabinet to slash spending on integration courses
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