The Office of the Prime Minister has from 13 April 2004 appointed Mr. Bernt Jørgen Stray (27), junior barrister, Oslo, as political advisor in the Ministry of Trade and Industry, and Mr. Sverre Molandsveen (30), student, Oslo, as acting political advisor in the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

Bernt Jørgen Stray succeeds Mr. Eirik Lae Solberg as political advisor in the Ministry of Trade and Energy, as Mr. Solberg was appointed state secretary in the Ministry of Government Administration and Labour on 8 March this year. Mr. Stray comes from Kristiansand, and is Cand. Jur. from the University of Oslo from 2003. He is now a junior barrister at the Federation of Norwegian Commerical and Service Enterprises (HSH), and has earlier been trainee in a law firm. Mr. Stray has held elected posts in the Conservative Party in Oslo and the Young Conservatives in Oslo.

Sverre Molandsveen, who in 2003 was acting political advisor in the Ministry of Justice and the Police, will be acting in the Ministry of Transport and Communications during political advisor Alfred Bjørlo’s leave of absence. Mr. Molandsveen comes from Øvre Eiker in the County of Buskerud. He has worked as political advisor to the Liberal Party’s parliamentary group and as leader of the Young Liberals of Norway.

The Government represents the Conservative Party (C), the Christian Democratic Party (Chr.) and the Liberal Party (Lib.). The list of political advisors now looks as follows:

Office of the Prime Minister:
Mr. Øistein Mjærum (Chr.)
Ms. Wenche Fone (Chr.) – leave of absence from 8 March 2004.
Ms. Torunn Elise Kvisberg (Chr.) – acting from 3 March 2004.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs (foreign affairs):
Ms. Marit Berger (C)

Ministry of Finance:
Mr. Kaj-Martin Georgsen (C)

Ministry of Health:
Mr. Pål Christian Roland (Chr.)
Ms. Line Henriette Holten Hjemdal (Chr.)
Mr. Aksel Jakobsen (Chr.)

Ministry of Agriculture:
Ms. Alvhild Hedstein (Lib.)
Mr. Geir Olsen (Lib.)

Ministry of Justice and the Police:
Ms. Marit Helene Meyer (Lib.)

Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs:
Mr. Gjermund Løyning (Chr.)

Ministry of Foreign Affairs (international development affairs):
Mr. David Hansen (Chr.)

Ministry of Petroleum and Energy:
Ms. Astrid Apalset Vassbø (Chr.)

Ministry of Children and Family Affairs:
Ms. Ruth Leonore Stenersen (Chr.)

Ministry of Education and Research:
Ms. Elisabeth Aspaker (C)

Ministry of Fisheries:
Ms. Jorhill Andreassen (C)

Ministry of Social Affairs:
Ms. Anniken Hauglie (C)

Ministry of Trade and Industry:
Mr. Bernt Jørgen Stray (C)

Ministry of Transport and Communications:
Mr. Alfred Jens Bjørlo (Lib.) (leave of absence from 13 April 2004)
Mr. Sverre Molandsveen (Lib.) (acting from 13 April 2004)

Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development:
Mr. Roger Iversen (C)

Ministry of Defence:
Bengt Eidem (C)

Ministry of the Environment:
Mr. Bjørn Johnny Skaar (C)

Ministry of Labour and Government Administration:
Ms. Anne Haabeth Rygg (C)