No information available on effectiveness of €53 billion worth of central government spending

Ministers evaluate around half of government policy: scope for improvement

Since 2006, ministers have investigated the effectiveness of 42% (i.e. representing €36 billion) of their aggregate annual policy expenditure (totalling €94 billion in 2011). Ministers give a variety of reasons for not reviewing the effectiveness of their spending. In certain cases, for example, they claim it is too early to measure the effects of their policies. In its audit report, the Netherlands Court of Audit suggests that there is a risk that ministries may be too quick in using this type of argument in order to justify a failure to investigate the effectiveness of their policies. As a result, the Court of Audit writes in a report  published on 27 June 2013 , ineffective policies may remain in place without any action being taken to remedy the problem.