The Netherlands is a small country. But in recent years it has attracted big interest for some of its social reforms – not least the pioneering use of private sector companies to run welfare-to-work programmes, an approach other countries are increasingly emulating.

Its latest innovation is in healthcare. The new Dutch model, introduced in 2006, is increasingly held up by US policy analysts as a possible example for Barack Obama, US president, to emulate as he seeks to introduce affordable universal healthcare to the country. And it has grabbed the attention of policymakers elsewhere – not least in England – as a way of using competition to control costs and, it is hoped, increase quality.