Changes among the state secretaries

In today’s session of the Council of State the King has as appointed Mr. Geir Pollestad, state secretary, Oslo, as state secretary in the Ministry of Transport and Communications, and Mr. Robin Kåss (31), medical doctor, Eidanger, as state secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy. Kåss will succeed Pollestad, who today has been honourably discharged from his office in the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy. The changes will be efficient as of 8 October.

Robin Kåss comes from the post as family doctor at Solum Health Centre. He is also medical supervisor at Skien Casualty Clinic and Telemark Rape Clinic. Kåss is leader of Porsgrunn Labour Party and member of the board of Telemark Labour Party. He has been member of Porsgrunn City Council and the national boards of Labour Youth and European Youth in Norway. He achieved his medical degree at the University of Liverpool in 2003.

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.)
Mr. Geir Pollestad (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. Robin Kåss (Lab.) 

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.)