The Office of the Prime Minister has as of 29 January appointed Mr. Geir Pollestad (28), assistant lawyer, Bryne, as political advisor to Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Åslaug Haga. He succeeds Ms. Magnhild Eia, who will leave the post on 5 February.

Geir Pollestad comes from a post as assistant lawyer at ProJure Law Office, and received his law degree from the University of Bergen 2006. He has been leader of the Norwegian Student Union in Berge, has held local political posts in Bergen and has been vice president of the Center Party Youth Organisation and the Nordic Association of Centre Party Youth.

The Government represents the Labour Party (Lab.), the Socialist Left Party (Soc.) and the Centre Party (Cent.). The list of political advisors will from 5 February be as follows:

To Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg (Lab.)
Ms. Mina Gerhardsen (Lab.)

To Minister of Finance Kristin Halvorsen (Soc.)
Ms. Sylvi Annie Bratten (Soc.)

To Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Åslaug Haga (Cent.)
Mr. Geir Pollestad (Cent.)

To Minister of Foreign Affairs Jonas Gahr Støre (Lab.)
Ms. Gry Larsen (Lab.)

To Minister of Defence Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen (Lab.)
Ms. Ragnhild Mathisen (Lab.)

To Minister of the Environment Helen Bjørnøy (Soc.)
Mr. Morten Wasstøl (Soc.)

To Minister of Petroleum and Energy Odd Roger Enoksen (Cent.)
Ms. Anne Tingelstad Wøien (Cent.)

To Minister of Development Cooperation Erik Solheim (Soc.)
Mr. Torbjørn Urfjell (Soc.)

To Minster of Trade and Industry Dag Terje Andersen (Lab.)
Ms. Annelene Svingen (Lab.)

To Minister of Transport and Communications Liv Signe Navarsete (Cent.)
Mr. Erik Lahnstein (Cent.)

To Minister of Education and Research Øystein Djupedal (Soc.)
Mr. Roger Pedersen (Soc.)

To Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion Bjarne Håkon Hanssen (Lab.)
Ms. Arnhild Holstad (Lab.)
Ms. Hadia Tajik (Lab.)

To Minister of Justice Knut Storberget (Lab.)
Ms. Astri Aas-Hansen (Lab.)

To Minister of Children and Equality Karita Bekkemellem (Lab.)
Ms. Marthe Scharning Lund (Lab.)

To Minister of Culture and Church Affairs Trond Giske (Lab.)
Mr. Halvard Ingebrigtsen (Lab.) – acting state secretary 12 October 2006-3 June 2007
Ms. Trine Synøve Lie Larsen (Lab.) – acting 23 October 2006-3 June 2007

To Minister of Health and Care Services Sylvia Brustad (Lab.)
Ms. Solveig Torsvik (Lab.)

To Minister of Government Administration and Reform Heidi Grande Røys (Soc.)
Mr. Jørund Leknes (Soc.)

To Minister of Agriculture and Food Terje Riis-Larsen (Cent.)
Ms. Sigrid Hjørnegård (Cent.)

To Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs Helga Pedersen (Lab.)
Ms. Kari-Anne Opsal (Lab.) – acting state secretary from 1 December 2006