The Senate voted on Tuesday, April 8, on the budget for Health, Welfare, and Sport (VWS). A majority of the senate voted in favor of the budget. The factions of OPNL, GroenLinks-PvdA, SGP, CDA, PVV, VVD, JA21, ChristenUnie, BBB, and 50PLUS voted in favor, while the factions of D66, Volt, FVD, SP, and PvdD voted against the budget. Votes were also cast on motions submitted during the debate on April 1. Two motions were adopted: one on the financing of forensic medical research after sexual violence and another on a joint approach to the issue of confused persons. It was previously decided to hold the vote on this bill simultaneously with the vote on the budget for Education, Culture, and Science (OCW). That budget was also approved.
Debate April 1 in Brief
In December, several opposition parties reached an agreement on cuts to education. The funds for this came from the health budget. For this reason, the Senate handled the two budgets in conjunction. Minister Agema (VWS) was questioned in the April 1 debate about the letter she recently sent to the Senate. In it, she indicated that the December-announced cutbacks on training for medical specialist care would be reversed by reallocating unused funds from district nursing. This is called reallocation in budgetary jargon. This led to much confusion and questions in the Senate. Furthermore, the Senate sought clarification on the proposed cuts to pandemic preparedness, prevention, and staff shortages in healthcare.
Adopted Motions
- Motion-Van Aelst et al. on financing forensic medical research after sexual violence.
- Motion-Moonen et al. on a joint approach to the issue of confused persons.
Rejected Motions
- Motion-Koffeman et al. on preventing cuts to pandemic preparedness.
- Motion-Bezaan on reimbursement of slimming medication.
Postponed Motions
- Motion-Van Rooijen et al. on a study into an Elderly Law.
- Motion-Van Aelst et al. on the societal benefits of sports and exercise.
- Motion-Van Aelst et al. on reimbursing glasses for children from the basic package.
- Motion-Koffeman et al. on distance standards between companies where different types of animals are kept.