In September this year, the Storting’s Presidium made the decision to call for an independent revision of the rules for the scheme that provides commuter accommodation for the Members of Parliament (MPs). The aim of the review is to ensure that the rules reflect the intention behind the scheme. Included in the board’s remit will be an extensive review of the terms and conditions for the allocation of accommodation, MPs’ reporting accountability, and the scheme’s control mechanisms.

The review board is to submit its report to the Storting’s Presidium by 1^st October 2022.

Complete and independent review

“There will be a complete and independent review of current rules, guidelines and practice. The assignment we have taken on will be key to the process of clearing up and ensuring that the regulations are solid and unequivocal, and that there are good control mechanisms in place. Trust is important, but scrutiny and supervision is crucial for sound practice of the rules,” said Therese Johnsen, chair of the review board.

“This review board has been carefully selected to have a broad range of experience. This is to ensure that it has the required expertise and independence to carry its terms of reference,” said Svein Harberg, First Vice President of the Storting.

The review board comprises the following members:

1. Therese Johnsen (chair), Oslo: Former director general in the Office of the Auditor General of Norway, and deputy director general in the Directorate for Public Management. Retired.
2. Eirik Holmøyvik, Bergen: Professor of Jurisprudence at the University of Bergen. Specialist field: constitutional law.
3. Amund Noss, Oslo: Partner in CMS Kluge (law firm). Former director general and head of the Ministry of Finance’s Tax Law Department. Experience from the Office of the Attorney General.
4. Brit Brenno, Oslo: Former Deputy Secretary General of the Storting, and head of the Constitutional Department. Retired. Secretary of three different review boards in the early 2000s, whose remits were to review various aspects of the MPs’ schemes and benefits.
5. Thrine Skaga, Tjøme: Assistant CEO at Fagforbundet (Norwegian Union of Municipal and General Employees). Attorney-at-law.
6. [employers’ organisation representative to be confirmed at time of publication]
7. Inger Enger: MP, Centre Party, for Oppland constituency (2001–2009).
8. Kent Gudmundsen: MP, Conservative Party, for Troms constituency (2013–2021).
9. Karin Andersen: MP, Socialist Left Party, for Hedmark constituency (1997–2021).