States report 2012
The Court of Audit sent factsheets to the new members of parliament on 20 September 2012 to inform them of the status of a number of policy fields.
Background
The term 'status report' comes from the building industry. A status report identifies shortcomings in a building before renovation work begins. It is a kind of baseline measurement, a snapshot of vulnerable issues. In its Status Report, the Court of Audit compares the Dutch government to a building. It is one of the House of Representatives' tasks to keep an eye on that building. We carry out risk analyses and in-depth audits, focus on weaknesses and identify cracks and blemishes. We then explain our findings; we analyse what is happening and make recommendations for improvement.
Every new government works on the building, renovates it and refurbishes it. This can lead to improvements but it can also cause new weaknesses before the existing ones have been repaired. Parliament and the Court of Audit therefore have to be doubly vigilant. Our Status Report is a tool to reinforce that vigilance so that the House, government and Court know what they have to watch out for.