Court of Audit: Number of government officials will also increase in 2024, against the Kabinet wishes

The number of government officials has risen again last year. Last year 9,000 new officials were added who work forty hours a week. As a result, the total number of government officials grew with a full-time contract to 157,000. The hiring of external parties also did not decrease by 15.4 percent (instead of the desired 10 percent). The number of government vacancy has fallen in 2024. This is evident on Wednesday morning from the accountability investigation of the Court of Audit.

The figures are striking, because the Cabinet Schoof wants to reduce the number of officials considerably. The government previously announced a cutback of 22 percent on the civil servant budget from 2025. According to the government, the desired savings leads to a more effective and more efficient government.

The Court of Audit reports that ministries ‘not always’ investigate in advance how much staff is needed to implement cabinet policy. « To know whether policy is feasible, it is important to know, among other things, what the personnel consequences are, » writes the Court of Audit.

If the Ministry of Justice and Security has to implement a new law or measure, it was unclear in almost half of the cases whether not tested how much staff is needed, the Court of Audit writes.

Incorrectly convicted

The Court of Audit further states that citizens were « in the Knel » last year at the Ministry of Justice. For example, the names of suspects and convicts were incorrectly mentioned in 867 criminal cases. With the possible consequence that perpetrators escape and innocent civilians disappear behind bars.

In 141 cases it includes serious sex offenses or violent crimes. This problem has been known for more than ten years, according to the Court of Audit, but nevertheless no solution has been found.

‘Finance not in order’

According to the Court of Audit, there is a « serious shortcoming » at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. After the switch to a new IT system in 2024, the ministry has the management of 14.9 billion in obligations at Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation ‘not in order’. The same applies to 1 billion in advances. As a result, the financial part of the annual report was too late.

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