Some 40,000 Dutch national government civil servants are still using computers equipped with Windows XP, even though Microsoft is ending its support for the programme from April.

All government pcs are being switched to a new system by next January but the government is going to pay for updates to XP up to then, website nu.nl reports.

‘Talks are underway with Microsoft and it depends how those talks proceed,’ spokeswoman Vera Hoogendoorn told the website. ‘The costs will depend on how quickly the migration proceeds. Migration to Windows 7 or 8 has the highest priority,’ she said.

Two out of five local councils in the Netherlands are also still using XP.

Microsoft is stopping providing technical assistance for Windows XP from April 8. This also means an end to automatic updates that help protect pcs.