Changes among the state secretaries

In today’s session of the Council of State the King has as of 15 September appointed Mr. Jan-Erik Larsen (45), managing director, Kristiansund, as state secretary to Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg; and Ms. Guri Størvold (32), former state secretary, Oslo, as state secretary to Minister of Transport and Communications Liv Signe Navarsete. Størvold’s appointment will cover Ms. Hege Solbakken’s leave of absence from the office as state secretary.

At the same time Mr. Snorre Wikstrøm has been honourably discharged from the office as state secretary to Prime Minister Stoltenberg as of 15 September, while Mr. Arvid Libak as of today has been honourably discharged from the office as state secretary to Minister of Trade and Industry Sylvia Brustad.

Jan-Erik Larsen comes from the post as managing director of the newspaper Tidens Krav in Kristiansund. He was state secretary to Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg 2000-2001. Guri Størvold was state secretary to Minister Åslaug Haga 2005-2008 and political advisor to Minister Odd Roger Enoksen 1999-2000.

The Government represents the Labour Party (Lab.), the Socialist Left Party (Soc.) and the Centre Party (Cent.). The list of state secretaries now is as follows:

To Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg (Lab.)
Mr. Karl Eirik Schjøtt-Pedersen (Lab.)
Ms. Kjersti Markusson (Soc.)
Mr. Per Johannessønn Jordal (Cent.)
Mr. Svein Fjellheim (Lab.)              
Mr. Torbjørn Giæver Eriksen (Lab.)
Ms. Rita Skjærvik (Lab.)
Ms. Hilde Singsaas (Lab.)
Mr. Jan-Erik Larsen (Lab.) 

To Minister of Finance Kristin Halvorsen (Soc.)
Mr. Roger Schjerva (Soc.)
Mr. Geir Axelsen (Lab.)
Mr. Ole Morten Geving (Cent.)
Mr. Roger Østlie Sandum (Soc.)
Ms. Henriette Westhrin (Soc.)

To Minister of Transport and Communications Liv Signe Navarsete (Cent.)
Mr. Erik Lahnstein (Cent.)
Ms. Hege Solbakken (Cent.) – leave of absence from 29 September 2008.
Ms. Guri Størvold (Cent.)

To Minister of Foreign Affairs Jonas Gahr Støre (Lab.)
Mr. Raymond Johansen (Lab.)
Ms. Elisabeth Walaas (Lab.)

To Minister of Research and Higher Education Tora Aasland (Soc.)
Mr. Jens Revold (Soc.)

To Minister of Local Government and Regional Development
Magnhild Meltveit Kleppa  (Cent.)
Mr. Dag-Henrik Sandbakken (Cent.)
Ms. Janne Sjelmo Nordås (Cent.)

To Minister of Defence Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen (Lab.)
Mr. Espen Barth Eide (Lab.)

To Minister of the Environment and International Development
Erik Solheim (Soc.)
Ms. Henriette Westhrin (Soc.) – environment affairs
Mr. Håkon Arald Gulbrandsen (Soc.) – international development affairs

To Minister of Agriculture and Food Lars Peder Brekk (Cent.)
Mr. Ola T. Heggem  (Cent.)

To Minister of Labour and Social Inclusion Dag Terje Andersen (Lab.)
Mr. Jan-Erik Støstad (Lab.)
Ms. Libe S. Rieber-Mohn (Lab.)
Ms. Laila Gustavsen (Lab.)
Mr. Raimo Valle (Lab.)

To Minister of Health and Care Services Bjarne Håkon Hanssen (Lab.)
Ms. Rigmor Aasrud (Lab.)
Ms. Kari Henriksen (Lab.)
Mr. Dagfinn Sundsbø (Cent.)
Ms. Ellen B. Pedersen (Soc.)

To Minister of Justice and the Police Knut Storberget (Lab.)
Mr. Terje Moland Pedersen (Lab.)
Ms. Astri Aas-Hansen (Lab.)

To Minister of Culture and Church Affairs Trond Giske (Lab.)
Mr. Halvard Ingebrigtsen (Lab.)
Mr. Wegard Harsvik (Lab.)

To Minister of Trade and Industry Sylvia Brustad (Lab.)
Mr. Øyvind Slåke (Lab.)
Ms. Rikke Lind (Lab.)

To Minister of Government Administration and Reform
Heidi Grande Røys (Soc.)
Ms. Wenche Lyngholm (Soc.)

To Minister of Petroleum and Energy Terje Riis-Johansen (Cent.)
Ms. Liv Monica Bargem Stubholt (Cent.)
Mr. Geir Pollestad (Cent.)

To Minister of Children and Equality Anniken Huitfeldt (Lab.)
Mr. Kjell Erik Øie (Lab.)

To Minister of Education Bård Vegard Solhjell (Soc.)
Ms. Lisbet Rugtvedt (Soc.)

To Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs Helga Pedersen (Lab.)
Mr. Vidar Ulriksen (Lab.)