It was a disappointment for many Groningen residents in recent days that Prime Minister Rutte was not sent away by the House of Representatives. But by considerably increasing the political pressure on Rutte, points have indeed been reached in the great gas debate that will benefit the people of Groningen. Five results in a row, but also five points that were not won.
1. Better claims settlement
The limit for compensation without investigation will be raised from 40,000 to 60,000 euros. That is what State Secretary Hans Vijlbrief has promised in principle. The limit of 40,000 euros was one of the main pain points for the Groningen residents. Most damage is quite small, under 40,000 euros. As a result, the large complex damage cases in the middle of the core quake area threatened not to be resolved more generously.
By raising the limit to 60,000 euros, the group of remaining complex cases turns out to be even lower, so that more attention is paid to this in Vijlbrief’s reasoning. Task forces will be set up to deal with these major complex claims ‘door to door’.
2. ‘At any cost’ (instead of ‘do whatever it takes’)
In its first response, the cabinet promised to allocate money for the entire damage and reinforcement in Groningen to ‘do what is necessary’. That sounds great, but in earlier versions of the plans it was formulated much less sparingly, namely that everything will be reimbursed ‘at any cost’. After consultation with the Ministry of Finance, this new formulation has been included in the plans.
But the MPs had found out. There is now a motion from CDA and D66 to return the wording to the original ‘at any cost’. That could be serious money in the future.
A large number of substantive motions from the gas debate will be voted on in the House of Representatives next Tuesday. This motion seems likely to get a majority.
3. Indexing money
The government’s first response already promised to invest 250 million euros in Groningen every year for 30 years. That is a lot of money now, but with an inflation of about 10 percent, such an amount will quickly lose value over the years. A motion by ChristenUnie, CDA and D66 demands full indexation of that amount. This means that the 250 million euros is always increased with inflation.
4. Prosperity in Groningen must increase
Nothing is as changeable as politics. That is why the government’s response already promised that the agreements with Groningen would be laid down in law. And there will be an annual State of Groningen for thirty years.
During the negotiations between Groningen and the cabinet, there was talk in recent months of a difference of tens of billions of euros between what the region wanted and what the cabinet offered. But more important for the real amounts in the future may be these annual talks and the law.
The House of Representatives has further tightened the agreements on this State of Groningen in motions. For example, it will be written in black and white that there must be a ‘culture change’ at the Ministry of Economic Affairs if investments in the province are discussed in the State of Groningen. There is also a motion from the coalition that the safety and health of Groningen residents must be paramount in all state participations and public-private partnerships.
CDA and ChristenUnie even supported a motion by GroenLinks and PvdA in which the promise is made that the prosperity of Groningen residents in those years must be raised to the level of the rest of the Netherlands.
5. Groningen has shown itself
During the parliamentary debate, the House of Representatives was teeming for days with Groningers who behaved tenaciously, together, but at the same time very neatly. That made a good impression in The Hague. The public gallery was overflowing with ordinary Groningen citizens, but politicians, lobbyists and administrators were also everywhere. Although there is quite a bit of division on points within Groningen, this came across as powerful.
Something like this may not immediately yield money or other concrete things. But in politics, emotion and image are also important. There is a slightly greater chance that Groningen and the rest of the North will be taken more seriously.
But what was not received?
1. Lower energy costs
A motion by the PvdA that the North should henceforth have a lower energy bill than the rest of the country only receives support from the opposition parties. That motion probably won’t get a majority next Tuesday.
2. Foundations
As part of the compensation and reinforcement plans, foundations of homes can be addressed where necessary. But there was also a plan for all homes in Groningen with damaged foundations. That would certainly cost 5 to 10 billion euros and that would drive the cabinet crazy, also because all kinds of other causes such as water damage or subsidence of peat soil would also count. According to Vijlbrief, the rest of the Netherlands would also like this.
3. Levy on oil companies
An opposition motion calling for a levy on oil companies such as Shell is unlikely to win a majority because the coalition does not support it. Vijlbrief said in the debate that he would have no problem with such a levy, but that he still sees practical objections. It will be discussed in the parliamentary committee in a few weeks.
4. Swimming pools and bus stops
An opposition motion to stop bus lines, swimming pools and other facilities from disappearing in the earthquake zone has not received support from the governing parties. So he probably won’t make it on Tuesday.
5. Extra money Nedersaksenlijn and Lelylijn
State Secretary Vijlbrief did not make firm promises about money for the still missing part of the Stadskanaal-Emmen railway line, the Lower Saxony line. There is a motion from the VVD that the Nedersaksenlijn and Lelylijn should ‘consider heavily’ in future plans, but that is not a firm promise.