Changes among the state secretaries

In today’s session of the Council of State, the King has appointed Ms. Eli Blakstad (50), farmer, Sør-Fron, as state secretary to Minister of Local Government and Regional Development Liv Signe Navarsete. At the same time Mr. Dag-Henrik Sandbakken has been honourably discharged from the same office as of 1 February 2013.

Eli Blakstad was state secretary to Minister of Petroleum and Energy Ola Borthen Moe 2011-2012. She was chief executive officer at Per Gynt AS at Vinstra 2001-2011. She is an agricultural college graduate and also a trained accountant, and has been leader of Oppland Centre party and member of Oppland County Council.

Dag-Henrik Sandbakken has been state secretary in the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development since 21 October 2005.

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

To Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg (Lab.)
Ms. Rita Skjærvik (Lab.)
Mr. Tor Brostigen (Soc.)
Mr. Erik Lahnstein (Cent.)
Mr. Hans Kristian Amundsen (Lab.)
Mr. Snorre Wikstrøm (Lab.) – leave of absence 03.09.2012
Ms. Inger-Anne Ravlum (Lab.)
Mr. Halvard Ingebrigtsen (Lab.) – acting from 24.09.2012
Ms. Mette Nord (Lab.)

To Minister of the Environment Bård Vegar Solhjell (Soc.)
Ms. Henriette Westhrin (Soc.)
Mr. Ketil Raknes (Soc.)

To Minister of Local Government and Regional Development
Liv Signe Navarsete (Cent.)
Mr. Dag-Henrik Sandbakken (Cent.) – resigning 01.02.2013
Mr. Erlend Fuglum (Cent.)
Ms. Anne Beathe Kristiansen Tvinnereim (Cent.)
Ms. Eli Blakstad (Cent.)

To Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide (Lab.)
Ms. Gry Larsen (Lab.)
Mr. Torgeir Larsen (Lab.)

To Minister of Justice and Public Security Grete Faremo (Lab.)
Ms. Astri Aas-Hansen (Lab.)
Mr. Pål Lønseth (Lab.)
Ms. Kristin Bergersen (Lab.)

To Minister of Finance Sigbjørn Johnsen (Lab.)
Ms. Hilde Singsaas (Lab.)
Mr. Kjetil Lund (Lab.)
Mr. Roger Schjerva (Soc.)
Mr. Morten Søberg (Cent.)

To Minister of Trade and Industry Trond Giske (Lab.)
Ms. Jeanette Iren Moen (Lab.)
Mr. Halvard Ingebrigtsen (Lab.) – leave of absence from 24.09.2012
Ms. Kristin Maurstad (Lab.) – acting from 07.12.2012

To Minister of Defence Anne-Grete Strøm-Erichsen (Lab.)
Mr. Eirik Øwre Thorshaug (Lab.)

To Minister of Health and Care Services Jonas Gahr Støre (Lab.)
Mr. Robin Kåss (Lab.)
Mr. Kjell Erik Øie (Lab.)
Ms. Nina Tangnæs Grønvold (Lab.)

To Minister of Education and Research Kristin Halvorsen (Soc.)
Ms. Elisabet Dahle (Soc.)
Ms. Ragnhild Setsaas (Soc.)

To Minister of Labour Anniken Huitfeldt (Lab.)
Ms. Gina Lund (Lab.)
Mr. Norvald Mo (Lab.)

To Minister of Government Administration, Reform
and Church Affairs Rigmor Aasrud (Lab.)
Ms. Tone-Helen Toften (Lab.)
Ms. Ragnhild Vassvik Kalstad (Lab.)

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

To Minister of Transport and Communications Marit Arnstad  (Cent.)
Mr. Lars Erik Bartnes (Cent.)
Mr. Geir Pollestad (Cent.)

To Minister of Petroleum and Energy Ola Borten Moe (Cent.)
Mr. Per Rune Henriksen (Lab.)
Ms. Ane Hansdatter Kismul (Cent.)

To Minister of International Development Heikki Eidsvoll Holmås (Soc.)
Mr. Arvinn Gadgil (Soc.)

To Minister of Children, Equality and Social Inclusion
Inga Marte Thorkildsen (Soc.)
Mr. Ahmad Ghanizadeh (Soc.)
Mr. Kjetil Andreas Ostling (Soc.)

To Minister of Agriculture and Food Trygve Slagsvold Vedum  (Cent.)
Mr. Harald Oskar Buttedahl (Cent.)

To Minister of Culture Hadia Tajik (Lab.)
Ms. Mina Gerhardsen (Lab.)
Ms. Kjersti Stenseng (Lab.)