The heads of housing corporations and public transport companies should be allowed to earn more than the prime minister, home affairs minister Guusje ter Horst is reported as saying in Friday’s Telegraaf.

The minister said she did not support calls by MPs for tougher controls on executive pay packets in some public sector companies.
Housing corporations operated in a competitive market and should be exempt, she said. And it is up to local councils to determine how much transport company bosses should earn.
But she did agree to more controls on salaries at nursing homes and in home care companies.
MPs from the three coalition parties want the cabinet to bring in pay ceilings for all public sector executives. They say the prime minister’s salary of €176,000 should be the basis for negotiations.
Ter Horst is currently drawing up recommendations for public sector pay levels.