Leo de Block
Leo de Block ( born August 14, 1904 in The Hague, † January 4, 1988 ) was a Dutch politician ( KVP ). He was Minister of Economic Affairs in the cabinet of Piet de Jong.
Life
De Block worked from 1923-1928 at the Amsterdamsche bank and then from 1928-1945 in the Incasso Bank. After a brief interlude of 1945-1946 when Nederlandsche Beheersinstituut he was briefly from 1946-1947 Director of Incasso Bank.
In 1947 de block the Ministry of Finance where he was responsible for foreign currency investments. In 1953 he became deputy Accumulation - Generaal at Ministry of Finance, one of the highest there to be filled positions. 1959 he was appointed as Director General of industrialization and energy supply in the Ministry of Economy. After he was changed in 1960 as Finance Director for the national airline, KLM, de Block returned again in 1963 into politics and became Secretary of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with responsibility for European Cooperation and transport. In the years 1966-1967 he was State Secretary in the Ministry of Transport and responsible there for handling international traffic matters. 1967 de Block was finally unexpectedly Economy Minister, as previously had rejected other candidates.
To de block work as a minister heard the 1967 was entry into force of the law on mineral extraction in the country and the IJsselmeer, which had been in 1965 initiated by Joop den Uyl, at the same time, this also happened to a law for the oil and gas production in the North Sea. In 1968, the cooperation with Britain and Germany in the Urenco project was decided under it. The introduction of VAT on January 1, 1969 prepared de Block finally considerable difficulties. Prices rose sharply after the introduction, which he was subjected to strong criticism, he finally found himself in April of the year prompted the introduction of a price system, which was replaced by a new price regulation in September. His wage policy has been criticized as they clashed in the Council because of the untouched metal collective agreement. De Block feared that this wage price spiral could not be broken, which impact on the labor market are to be feared. Finally, De Block resigned in January 1970.
Following his ministers time de Block was in Amsterdam Chairman of the Foundation Netherlands Study Centre for administrative automation.