The outgoing government has pledged to invest €6.2 million in training unemployed people in Groningen to help repair buildings damaged as a result of gas extraction.

Social affairs minister Lodewijk Asscher announced the four-year spending programme in parliament. Ministers, local government and employers have all said they want local people to benefit from any job opportunities that arise from the consequences of earthquake damage in the north-eastern province.

Onshore gas production in Groningen has been gradually scaled back in recent years after it was linked to seismic movement in the region. From October 1 the amount extracted annually will be reduced by a further 10% to 21.6 billion cubic metres.

In May the village of Slochteren was the epicentre of a quake measured at 2.6 on the Richter scale, the strongest in the province for two years.