The Dutch government received a dividend of €736m from its shares in private companies last year, €241m less than in 2016, according to a finance ministry report.

The decline was due entirely to a one-off drop in the value of gas distributor Gasunie, caretaker finance minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem told parliament.

Four shareholdings accounted for 62% of the dividend revenue: Tennet (electricity distribution) 20%, Gasunie 20%, Schiphol airport 14% and UCN (nuclear energy and enriched uranium) 13%.

Dijsselbloem said most state shareholdings fared well in 2016. The oldest of the 16, the mint, was sold off last year.