Changes in the Government

In today’s session of the Council of State, the King has honourably discharged Mr. Knut Storberget from the office as Minister of Justice as of today at 2.30 pm. Fra the same point of time Ms. Grete Faremo has been appointed Minister of Justice and Mr. Espen Barth Eide Minister of Defence.

In order to ensure Norway’s preparedness to handle challenges caused by risks and threats, the responsibility of the Ministry of Justice and the Police for security and preparedness will be strengthened and clarified. The Ministry’s role in overseeing that other ministries and public offices are aware of and following up their preparedness responsibility, will also be enhanced. Furthermore, the Ministry’s internal organisation will be examined in order to improve the Ministry’s ability to handle crises. The Ministry will be given additional resources. In order to visualise these changes, it has today been decided that the Ministry of Justice and the Police from 1 January 2012 will have its name changed to the Ministry of Justice and Emergency Preparedness.

The assistance of the Norwegian Armed Forces to the civil society will be a central topic in the coming Armed Forces long-term plan and the coming parliamentary white paper on security. The two new ministers will cooperate closely in this.

Mr. Espen Barth Eide comes from a post as state secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He has previously been state secretary in the Ministry of Defence.

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

Prime Minister
Mr. Jens Stoltenberg (Lab.)

Minister of Education
Ms. Kristin Halvorsen (Soc.)

Minister of Local Government and Regional Development
Ms. Liv Signe Navarsete (Cent.)

Minister of Foreign Affairs
Mr. Jonas Gahr Støre (Lab.)

Minister of Justice and the Police,
from 1 January 2012 Minister of Justice and Emergency Preparedness
Ms. Grete Faremo (Lab.)

Minister of Finance
Mr. Sigbjørn Johnsen (Lab.)

Minister of Trade and Industry
Mr. Trond Giske (Lab.)

Minister of Transport and Communications
Ms. Magnhild Meltveit Kleppa (Cent.)

Minister of Health and Care Services
Ms. Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen (Lab.)

Minister of the Environment and International Development
Mr. Erik Solheim (Soc.)

Minister at the Office of the Prime Minister
Mr. Karl Eirik Schjøtt-Pedersen (Lab.)

Minister of Research and Higher Education
Ms. Tora Aasland (Soc.)

Minister of Culture
Ms. Anniken Huitfeldt (Lab.)

Minister of Agriculture and Food
Mr. Lars Peder Brekk (Cent.)

Minister of Government Administration, Reform and Church Affairs
Also Minister for Nordic cooperation.
Ms. Rigmor Aasrud (Lab.)

Minister of Labour
Ms. Hanne Bjurstrøm (Lab.)

Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs
Ms. Lisbeth Berg-Hansen (Lab.)

Minister of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion
Mr. Audun Lysbakken (Soc.)

Minister of Petroleum and Energy
Mr. Ola Borten Moe (Cent.)

Minister of Defence
Mr. Espen Barth Eide (Lab.)