The Norwegian PACE delegation will therefore be represented in the Bureau of the Assembly throughout 2022.

PACE consists of 47 member states and a total of 324 parliamentarians. The Bureau is the Assembly’s central body. It comprises the Assembly’s President, its twenty Vice-Presidents, the Chairpersons of the political groups, and the Chairpersons of the general PACE Committees. Among its duties are to prepare the agenda and arrange the day-to-day business of the Assembly, and to foster relations with other international bodies.

During the opening day of this year’s winter session, Ms Schou was also appointed as the rapporteur of the Rules Committee, when it examines the credentials of the Russian delegation to PACE. Each of the member states’ delegations must have their credentials ratified at the start of every new year. This procedure provides members with the opportunity to question other members’ credentials. This year, Russia’s credentials were challenged by the Ukrainian and Lithuanian delegations.

The appointment of Ms Schou was by virtue of her role as a member of PACE’s Committee on Rules of Procedure, Immunities and Institutional Affairs. As rapporteur, Ms Schou will be responsible for preparing a report which examines the question and puts forward a resolution for the committee to vote on. The result will be published on the PACE website.

Two MPs – Ingjerd Schou (Conservative Party) and Lise Selnes (Labour Party), a substitute member – are representing the Storting’s PACE Delegation at this year’s winter meeting.