Biography

Date of birth: 4 May 1962 in Stjørdal, Nord-Trøndelag
Daughter of tax inspector and farmer Arne Arnstad (1932–1980) and nurse Aasta Auran (1938–)

Parliamentary terms

Member of Parliament no. 4 for Nord-Trøndelag, 1993–1997, Centre Party
Substitute Member of Parliament no. 1 for Nord-Trøndelag, 1997–2001, Centre Party
Member of Parliament no. 2 for Nord-Trøndelag, 2001–2005, Centre Party
Member of Parliament no. 3 for Nord-Trøndelag, 2013–2017, Centre Party
Member of Parliament no. 2 for Nord-Trøndelag, 2017–2021, Centre Party
Member of Parliament no. 2 for Nord-Trøndelag, 2021–2025, Centre Party

Substitute periods

Government minister 1 October 2013–16 October 2013, Bjørn Arild Gram served as substitute member of parliament

Storting committees

1993–1997

Member, Enlarged Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, 21 October 1993–30 September 1997
Member, Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, 21 October 1993–30 September 1997

2001–2005

Member, Standing Committee on Business and Industry, 22 October 2001–22 April 2003
Member, Election Committee, 11 April 2003–30 September 2005
Member, Standing Committee on Defence, 22 April 2003–30 September 2005
Member, Enlarged Foreign Affairs Committee, 22 April 2003–30 September 2005

2013–2017

Member, Standing Committee on Energy and the Environment, 22 April 2014–30 September 2017
Member, Enlarged Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, 9 April 2014–30 September 2017
Member, Standing Committee on Business and Industry, 17 October 2013–22 October 2013
Chair, Standing Committee on Business and Industry, 22 October 2013–22 April 2014

2017–2021

Member, Election Committee, 7 October 2017–30 September 2021
Member, Enlarged Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, 12 October 2017–30 September 2021
Member, Standing Committee on Education and Research, 12 October 2017–30 September 2021

2021–2025

Second vice chair, Election Committee, 19 October 2021–30 September 2025
Member, Election Committee, 9 October 2021–19 October 2021
Member, Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence, 19 October 2021–30 September 2025
Member, Enlarged Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee, 19 October 2021–30 September 2025

Membership of specialist committees, internal boards and panels, etc.

2013–2017

Member, Regulations Committee, 10 January 2017–30 September 2017

2017–2021

Member, Special Committee for Consideration of Particular Matters related to the Coronavirus Crisis, 16 March 2020–30 September 2021

Parliamentary delegations

1993–97

Member, Delegation for Relations with the European Parliament, 4 November 1993–30 September 1997
Member, Delegation to the EFTA and EEA Parliamentary Committees, 4 November 1993–30 September 1997
Member, European Consultative Committee, 6 May 1994–30 September 1997

2001–2005

Substitute member, European Consultative Committee, 6 November 2001–30 September 2005

2013–2017

Substitute member, Delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, 12 November 2013–24 April 2014

2017–2021

Member, Delegation to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), 26 October 2017–30 September 2021
Delegate, UN General Assembly, 1 October 2018–30 September 2019

2021–2025

Member, Delegation for Relations with the European Parliament, 19 October 2021–30 September 2025
Substitute member, Delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, 28 October 2021–30 September 2025
Member, Delegation to the Inter-parliamentary conference for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) and the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), 28 October 2021–30 September 2025

Membership of group steering committees

2001–2005

Chair, Centre Party Group Steering Committee, 25 March 2003–30 September 2005

2013–2017

Chair, Centre Party Group Steering Committee, 9 April 2014–30 September 2017

2017–2021

Chair, Centre Party Group Steering Committee, 2 October 2017–30 September 2021

2021–2025

Chair, Centre Party Group Steering Committee, 28 September 2021–30 September 2025

Government positions

Personal adviser, Ministry of the Environment, 1989–1989
Government minister, Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, 17 October 1997–17 March 2000
Government minister, Ministry of Transport, 18 June 2012–16 October 2013

Education and professional experience

Education

Upper secondary school examination 1981
Cand.jur. law degree 1991

Professional

Staff member, legal advice service for women 1984
Temporary position as journalist at Trønder–Avisa, Nationen and Verdens Gang (VG) 1985–1991
Higher Executive Officer, Ministry of the Environment 1992
Associate, Wiersholm, Mellbye og Bech law firm 2000–2001
Adviser, Schjødt law firm 2006–2008
Lawyer, Arntzen de Besche law firm 2008–2012

Appointments

Municipal political service

Substitute member, Stjørdal Municipal Council 1987–1991

Public appointments

Chair, National Nature Management Council 1990–1994
Substitute member, Human Rights Committee 1994–1997
Board chair, Norwegian University of Science and Technology 2005–2012
Member, Nidaros Diocesan Council 2006–2010
Member, Committee Examining Public Investigative Commissions 2007–2008
Board chair, Statskog SF 2009–2012
Board member, Norwegian Church Endowment 2009–2011
Vice chair, Energy Committee 2011–2012

Elected party positions

Vice chair, Nord-Trøndelag Centre Youth 1979–1981
Vice chair, Centre Youth National Federation 1982–1985, chair 1986–1988
Member, Centre Party Central Board 1986–1988, 2003–2005
EU Secretary, Centre Party 1992–1993
Board member, Nord-Trøndelag Centre Party 2010–2012
Chair, Nord-Trøndelag Centre Party Nominations Committee 2010–2011

Elected positions in organisations

Vice president, Council of European National Youth Committees (CENYC) 1989–1991
International chair, Norwegian Youth Council 1989–1991
Board member, No to the EU 1989–1993
Council member, No to the EU 1990–1997

Other administrative appointments

Board member, Information Board on Norway and the EU 1988–1990
Board member, Offshore Northern Seas 2000–2002
Board member, Coop Norge 2000–2001
Board member, Aker Seafood ASA 2005–2011
Board member, Cowi Norge A/S 2006–2008
Board member, Statoil ASA 2006–2007
Vice board chair, StatoilHydro ASA 2007–2012
Board member, Adresseavisen ASA 2007–2009
Vice board chair, Polaris Media 2009–2012