Changes among the state secretaries

In today’s session of the Council of State, the King has appointed Mr. Erlend Grimstad (45), manager, Skedsmo, as state secretary to Minister of Agriculture and Food Trygve Slagsvold Vedum. Grimstad succeeds Mr. Harald O. Buttedahl, who today has been honourably discharged from the office.

Erlend Grimstad has previously held various posts in business and industry, and is now manager of a private company. He was political adviser in the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy 1997-1999 and state secretary in the same ministry 1999-2000, during Kjell Magne Bondevik’s first government. Grimstad is a trained lawyer.

The Office of the Prime Minister has decided that from 15 May 2013 Mr. Halvard Ingrebrigtsen’s responsibility as state secretary is divided between 80 per cent service to Minister of Trade and Industry Trond Giske and 20 per cent service to Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg.

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.)
Ms. Inger-Anne Ravlum (Lab.)
Ms. Mette Nord (Lab.)
Mr. Halvard Ingebrigtsen (Lab.) – acting, 20 per cent from 15 May 2013

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

To Minister of Local Government and Regional Development
Liv Signe Navarsete (Cent.)
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.)
Mr. Pål Lønseth (Lab.)
Ms. Kristin Bergersen (Lab.)
Mr. Pål Martin Sand (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.) – 80 per cent from 15 May 2013
Mr. Trygve Svensson (Lab.)

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.)
Mr. Norvald Mo (Lab.)
Ms. Cecilie Bjelland (Lab.)

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

To Minister of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs Lisbeth Berg-Hansen (Lab.)
Mr. Hugo Bjørnstad (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.)
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. Erlend Grimstad (Cent.)

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