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Public sector

The public sector, or public services, encompasses a very broad raft of organisations, including not only traditional government organisations such as the police and judiciary, education and care, but also private enterprises such as cultural institutes, childcare facilities and public transport. These organisations receive funding from the government.

Memorandum
SCP carries out research on the various provisions and presents an overall picture of developments in the public sector. It also looks at which income groups make more or less use of public services. In the Public Services Sector Memorandum, which is published during the government formation process, SCP reports on trends in the public sector, as well as on the consequences of those trends for public spending in the forthcoming government term.

CPB and CBS
Almost all the analyses performed by SCP are based on microdata, i.e. data at individual level. The Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis (CPB), by contrast, looks at macrotrends in the public sector, such as unemployment and economic growth rates. The public finances are also a topic of research for CPB. Statistics Netherlands (CBS), although it collects information about the public sector, does not itself perform (cross-sector) analyses. SCP regularly makes use of statistical material from CBS in its studies. 

Research at SCP
Most of the research groups within SCP carry out research in one or more areas of the public sector. For example, the Care research group studies care, while the Time, Media & Culture research group focuses on the different domains of the cultural sector. Research on the public sector as a whole is the preserve of the Public Services Sector research group. You will find information on current projects and recent publications here.

More information

  • The Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis (CPB) follows macrotrends in the public sector.

  • Statistics Netherlands (CBS) records (among other things) data on the public sector.