Dutch government says purchasing power to rise

Dutch Finance Minister Wouter Bos says the purchasing power of most people in the Netherlands will increase next year. On Thursday, he and his fellow ministers agreed next year’s budget which will be presented on 16 September.

Over recent weeks, it has been widely reported that people on low incomes would be worse off in 2009. Mr Bos says the problem has now been solved, but cautioned that he was not in a position to give individual guarantees.

He did say, however, that average-income families would be taken care of, and that funds for the necessary measures would be found in a responsible way. He added that he was satisfied with the way things have gone.

Source: Radio Netherlands, 28 August 2008