8 DECEMBER 2001, Page 42

Our freebies are finite

From Mr Ban Roozendaal Sir: Reading Fraser Bailey's entertaining account of Holland's socio-economic scenery (`Dutch treat', 24 November), I could not help wondering if he meant the same country that I have been living in for the better part of my life.

However much we may covet full employment here, the present Dutch unemployment figure is set anywhere between 200,000 and 290.000, on a total population of 16 million, depending on whose statistics you care to believe.

The Arbodienst is not some kind of ministry, as Mr Bailey suggests, but simply a privatised medical centre checking up on employees on sick leave in any given region.

The pub where the author must have written his piece may have been frequented by malingerers in their first year of being overspannen, but soon these jolly topers will be made officially unemployable in their profession if they do not mend their ways. They may then claim benefit, but certainly not for life, and at a much lower income level. And eventually they will find themselves being prodded into accepting any menial job available.

Bart Roozenclaal

Amsterdam, The Netherlands