Work Programme
Each year, the Health Council draws up a work programme containing an overview of the issues that will form the subjects of advice for the coming calendar year. This does not necessarily mean that an advisory report will be published on every one of these subjects during that year. The topics are categorized based on the Council’s areas of activity. Occasionally, the work programme may evolve as the year progresses, for example when ministers establish new priorities.
Procedure
The work programme is drawn up after conferring with various departments and consulting with groups within the Health Council. The Minister of Health, Welfare and Sports then adopts the final work programme and submits it to the States General on the third Tuesday of September (Budget Day). This procedure has been laid down in the Advisory Bodies Framework Act.
Funds and clients
The Health Council is fully financed by the Dutch government. The Council is allocated a budget that consists of contributions from the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports; the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management; the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality; and the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment, as well as incidental contributions from other ministries.
The Council recognises the ministers of the abovementioned departments as its primary clients. Furthermore, Parliament can also submit a request for advice to the Council.