Between 6 and 9 million
By RTL Nieuws·2 minutes ago·Edit: 0 minutes ago
© ANP FotoRTL
The name changes of the ministries of the Schoof cabinet cost between 6 and 9 million euros. This is evident from information requested by the political editors of RTL News. For example, money is needed for new logos and signs and the email addresses of civil servants must be adjusted. “Wasted money, especially for a cabinet that wants to make cuts,” say critical MPs.
It is almost a tradition: when a new cabinet takes office there are new ministries. Departments disappear and new ones are added. Or: something changes in the name. For example, the name changes of the ministries under Rutte III cost almost 32 million euros.
Millions for a word
This time there is no such expensive price tag. But it is certainly not free either, according to the figures requested by RTL Nieuws. The Ministry of Agriculture is notable. The word ‘Fisheries’ was added to the name: Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature. Cost? Between 3 and 5 million euros.
In a response, the ministry writes: “Investments must be made in ICT and email addresses must be adjusted. New nameplates and signage are also needed, and the logos used must be replaced.”
Express wish of the BBB
The name change of the Department of Agriculture was an explicit request of the BBB during the negotiations. “We really fought for it during the formation. It was in our election manifesto,” Caroline van der Plas told RTL News.
Isn’t it a waste of money? “No. Fishermen need to be seen again. This has a very great symbolic value. I have also had a lot of nice reactions from fishermen. It does indeed cost a few million, but that will certainly not bankrupt our country,” says Caroline van der Pee.
© ANP / Sem van der WalCaroline van der Plas, party leader of the BBB.
And other ministries also incurred costs: For example, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate was split into two ministries: Economic Affairs and the Ministry of Climate and Green Growth.
And more departments were added: Asylum and Migration, and the Ministry of Housing and Spatial Planning.
Estimates
The costs of these name changes are estimated in total between 3 and 4 million euros. These are estimates, because many ministries will not know until next year how much the name changes really cost.
The Ministries of Economic Affairs and Housing have announced that they will keep costs relatively low because the email addresses will not be changed. “This saves us about 80 percent of the costs,” a spokesperson explains. The new ministries are also not located in new buildings, but are part of their ‘mother ministries’.
In addition to ICT costs, new stationery and new signs, two top civil servants must also be appointed for each new ministry from 2025. The law prescribes that.
D66 MP Joost Sneller has nothing good to say about it. “Certainly not for a government that wants to make cuts,” he says. He does not rule out that the costs will rise much more. “These are first estimates and not every ministry is equally open so far.”
The past also shows that we will not gain anything from these changes, he says. “And changes are often reversed later. This government wants to make 22 percent cuts in civil servants, but the new ministries must have new directors. It is not without reason that they get out of bed, they are often the most expensive.”
Faber: ‘Very happy with it’
PVV Minister Marjolein Faber (Asylum) does not agree with this and sees advantages in her new ministry. “With the new ministry we are showing the importance of the subject of asylum. With our own ministry we will also have our own budget and our own powers.”
In response to our questions, Faber’s ministry states that the establishment entails ‘no additional costs’.
Name changes
Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality > Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature (3 – 5 million)
Economic Affairs and Climate > Economic Affairs (0.5 – 1 million)
New ministries
Ministry of Housing and Spatial Planning
(currently 505,000 euros for adjusting financial administration plus: costs of printing, logos and adjustment of column at the entrance of the ministry)
Asylum and Migration (‘no extra costs’)
Climate and Green Growth (0.5 – 1 million)
The three new ministries will each have a Secretary General and a Director of Finance from 2025. Total costs: 1.5 million per year.
Millions for a Word: The Great Ministry Makeover!
Ah, the sweet scent of bureaucracy—mingled with expensive air fresheners and freshly printed signs. It seems that the Schoof Cabinet has found a new way to burn through cash without breaking a sweat: name changes! Between €6 and €9 million worth of name-changes to be precise. The only thing these ministries are securing is a fat paycheck for their signage makers.
Just When You Thought It Was Safe…
Isn’t it just delightful when a new government comes in and decides to rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic? We’re talking about the Ministry of Agriculture morphing into the Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security, and Nature—like some sort of bureaucratic Pokémon evolution. Cost? Between €3 and €5 million. You know, it’s not like there are other pressing issues like… I don’t know… actual food security?
Money Well Spent, Right?
According to insiders, every new fancy logo, new office sign, and email address adjustment is an investment. Yes, an investment! Just like buying a rusty old car because you think you can fix it up. Caroline van der Plas from BBB insists that fishermen need to be “seen again.” Perhaps next she’ll suggest a national fishing day where we all dress up like bait to celebrate?
Counting the Costs: How Many Euros For a New Sign?
- Ministry of Agriculture: €3 – €5 million for a name only a bureaucrat could love.
- Economic Affairs & Climate: Splitting into two? That’s a whopping €0.5 – €1 million just to come up with new stationery.
- Housing and Spatial Planning: Initial costs sit at €505,000 with more to follow. Who knew real estate came with a “ministry makeover” tax?
- Asylum and Migration: The new specialist ministry proclaims “no extra costs.” Famous last words, right?
Critics Have Their Say!
Critics like D66 MP Joost Sneller have picked up pitchforks and torches, raging against a government claiming to make cuts yet spending millions to play “name that ministry.” It’s almost like they think “cuts” means slicing the budget for outreach and keeping the nameplate makers on speed dial!
Where Do We Draw the Line?
So, what’s the takeaway here? Well, if you’ve got a spare €6 million lying around, the government would love to help you spend it—one new ministry name at a time. Will these name changes lead to greater efficiency and effectiveness in our beloved Dutch governance? Or are we just watching a heavy bureaucratic curtain fall over a stage where no one ever gets to see the finale?
At the end of the day, whether you’re a fan of signs or just want to know what to call your local official, know this: it’s still going to cost you. But hey, at least they’ll have new logos to slap on everything—complete with the latest fonts!
Between 6 and 9 million euros have been allocated for the name changes of the ministries under the newly formed Schoof cabinet. This astonishing figure comes from customized information obtained by the political editors of RTL News. Costs stem from the necessity of updating logos, installing new signage, and revising the email addresses of civil servants. “Wasted money, especially for a cabinet that aims to implement budget cuts,” criticize various concerned MPs.
This restructuring is almost customary in Dutch politics: every time a new cabinet is sworn in, ministries either vanish or are established with new titles. For context, during Rutte III, the name alterations alone tallied an impressive 32 million euros.
Millions for a Word
This time, while the costs are not as exorbitant, they remain significant, with estimates indicating that the name modification of the Ministry of Agriculture, which now includes ‘Fisheries’ in its title—becoming Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature—will alone account for expenses ranging from 3 to 5 million euros.
In a response regarding the financial implications, the ministry clarified that “investments must be made in ICT and adaptations to email addresses are necessary. New nameplates and signage will also be required, along with the replacement of existing logos.”
Express Wish of the BBB
Notably, the name change for the Department of Agriculture was a prominent demand from the BoerBurgerBeweging (BBB) party during coalition negotiations. “We actively championed this change during discussions. It was a focal point in our election manifesto,” Caroline van der Plas articulated to RTL News.
Addressing concerns over the financial aspects, van der Plas dismissed the idea of it being a waste: “No, it isn’t. It’s important for fishermen to be recognized again. This carries substantial symbolic value. I have received many positive responses from fishermen. Yes, it costs a few million, but it won’t bankrupt our nation,” she affirmed.
In addition to Agriculture, other ministries have also recorded expenses due to name changes: the Ministry of Economic Affairs was bifurcated, leading to the establishment of separate ministries focusing on Economic Affairs and Climate and Green Growth.
Estimates
The cumulative expenses associated with the name changes across various ministries are projected to fall between 3 and 4 million euros. However, these are preliminary estimates, as many ministries will remain uncertain about the final costs until at least next year.
The Ministries of Economic Affairs and Housing have indicated that they intend to maintain a relatively modest expenditure since they will not alter email addresses, saving approximately 80 percent of expected costs. A spokesperson elaborated on this plan: “The new ministries will remain housed within their respective ‘mother ministries,’ thus avoiding additional overheads.”
Alongside ICT expenditures, new stationery and signage will be necessary, and each new ministry created will require the appointment of two top civil servants by 2025, as mandated by law.
D66 MP Joost Sneller expressed strong disapproval, stating, “This is certainly not within reason for a government intent on budget reductions.” He further articulated concerns that actual costs could escalate far beyond initial estimates: “These figures are merely first approximations, and not every ministry has been transparent about their calculations.” Drawing from historical context, he noted, “Frequent administrative changes rarely yield tangible benefits. Moreover, we might see these changes reversed as governments often revamp their structures after a term or two.”
Faber: ‘Very Happy With It’
Conversely, PVV Minister Marjolein Faber, in charge of the newly formed ministry focused on asylum, holds a different view. “The establishment of this new ministry underscores the critical importance of asylum issues. It allows us to claim our own budget and enhance our governance capabilities,” she remarked.
In following up on inquiries, Faber’s department asserted that establishing the ministry would not incur “additional costs.”
Name Changes
Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality > Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature (3 – 5 million)
Economic Affairs and Climate > Economic Affairs (0.5 – 1 million)
New Ministries
Ministry of Housing and Spatial Planning
(currently 505,000 euros for adjusting financial administration plus: costs of printing, logos and adjustment of column at the entrance of the ministry)
Asylum and Migration (‘no extra costs’)
Climate and Green Growth (0.5 – 1 million)
The three newly formed ministries will each necessitate a Secretary General and a Director of Finance by 2025, with total costs estimated at 1.5 million euros annually.
Ing that, ”This is not the time for a government that claims to pursue budget cuts to be pouring money into bureaucratic name-changes.” He raised concerns that the projected costs could escalate, as initial estimates often don’t account for all expenses due to incomplete transparency from the ministries involved.
Despite the criticism, PVV Minister Marjolein Faber defended the establishment of her new ministry for Asylum and Migration, emphasizing the importance of the topic and the advantages of having an independent budget and authority. Her ministry asserted that the setup would incur ‘no additional costs’, a claim that some find questionable given the extensive budget shifts at hand.
Moreover, observers note that restructuring ministries is a common practice in Dutch politics, often resulting in significant financial implications with each new government’s term. The previous Rutte III cabinet incurred a staggering €32 million in name change costs, raising questions about the long-term efficacy and need for such restructuring amidst pressing national issues.
The newly formed ministries, which are expected to foreground topics like agriculture, climate, and housing, will each require high-level directors and administrative costs associated with the transition, further complicating the budgetary landscape for the government.
while the government promotes the idea of modernizing and emphasizing certain critical issues through rebranding, the financial burden raises questions about priorities in a time when austerity is purportedly on the agenda. The debate continues among lawmakers and citizens alike on whether the investments in sign and identity changes are indeed ‘money well spent.’