The cabinet is planning to make convicted criminals pay towards the cost of the investigation into their crimes as well as a fee for each day they spend in jail.

The justice ministry said in a statement on Monday it is to introduce a charge of €16 a day for prisoners, people in psychiatric prison and the parents of juveniles in detention.

Prisoners and parents would be liable to pay the charge for a maximum two years, costing them up to €11,680.

Investigation

At the same time the ministry is planning to make convicted criminals pay towards the cost of the investigation into their crime and the court costs.

‘In doing this, the Netherlands is following a large number of other European countries which have similar systems,’ the ministry statement said.

The draft legislation is being sent out for consultation on Monday. The aim from both measures is to raise €65m a year.

The proposals stem from the coalition agreement reached between the ruling VVD and PvdA in 2012.