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Table 1.Ministerial information and communication personnel (in FTE)

Ministry Total Employment … of which … are press
information officers

Foreign affairs 64.5 11
Justice 52 11.5
Interior 44.5 11
Education & culture 62 11
Finance 59 14
Defence 50 24
Housing & environment 80 12
Transport 71 17
Economic Affairs 77.5 17.5
Agriculture & nature 33 12
Social affairs 113 22.5
Health 57.5 11
Prime minister 180 12

The figures for press information are indicative, as they are classified differently by
different ministries.Source: Berenschot,2003

done by a minority, around 20% of the total workforce. The ministry of Defence stands
out with around 50% involved in informing the press. In the last decade, the level of
education has been increasing: with an average age of forty one, 40% is academically
The Professionalisation of Political Communication
schooled and another 50% has some other form of higher education (Neijens, 2002, p.
285). The situation among journalists is comparable, with slightly more having
university degrees.

The most important directorate is that of the prime minister, the National
Communication and Information Service RVD (Rijksvoorlichtingsdienst). All information
coming from the government, the royal household and – particularly important in the
Netherlands – the press information during the formation of coalition cabinets, falls
under the responsibility of the RVD.The director general is also chair of the Information
Council, where the directors of the different ministerial directorates meet regularly to
coordinate their policy. The coordinating function of the RVD has recently become
more important,with a subsequent decline in the policy space of the ministries.

Establishing communication as an integrated part of policy making seems to succeed
reasonably well at the top management level. Intensive cooperation and consultation
between politicians, senior civil servants, strategic advisors and senior information
officers has become the rule,often on a daily basis.But at the middle and lower levels of
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