Ministerial working groups of Vanhanen’s second Cabinet

 

Ministerial working group on public administration and regional development

 

The role of the ministerial working group on public administration and regional development is to define administration and regional policies and to launch, direct, coordinate and monitor related projects and measures. The ministerial working group prepares proposals for such bills and decisions that are relevant to administration and regional policy before they are considered by the Government.

 

Composition

 

Minister of Public Administration and Local Government Mari Kiviniemi, chairperson
Minister of Economic Affairs Mauri Pekkarinen
Minister of Defence Jyri Häkämies
Minister of Housing Jan Vapaavuori
Minister of Migration and European Affairs Astrid Thors
Minister of Labour Tarja Cronberg

 

General secretaries
Director General Jorma Karjalainen, Ministry of Finance
Director General Silja Hiironniemi, Ministry of Finance

 

 

Ministerial working group for the Government foresight report

 

The ministerial working group directs the preparation of the Government foresight report which focuses on climate and energy policy issues. The aim of the report is to facilitate decision making in various sectors. The report is to outline long-term climate and energy policies and propose measures for action.

 

The timescale of the report will extend until the mid-century and cover both control of climate change and adaptation to its effects. In addition to energy production, the report will examine the use of energy, traffic, sinks and other key areas relating to emissions. The foresight report offers both a national and global perspective to the issue. The report is to be submitted to Parliament during spring 2009.

 

Composition

 

Minister of the Environment Paula Lehtomäki, chairperson
Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen
Minister of Transport Anu Vehviläinen
Minister of Finance Jyrki Katainen
Minister of Defence Jyri Häkämies
Minister of Housing Jan Vapaavuori
Minister of Culture and Sport Stefan Wallin
Minister of Labour Tarja Cronberg

 

Secretary of the working group
Project Manager Pirkko Heikinheimo, Prime Minister’s Office

 

 

Ministerial working group on climate and energy policy

 

The ministerial working group’s main function is to draw up a long-term climate and energy strategy. The strategy will define the principal objectives and means of Finland’s climate and energy policy for the next decades in the context of the European Union. The ministerial working group will also monitor the implementation and follow-up of the climate and energy strategy. The working group will also be informed of progress made in international negotiations concerning climate issues.

 

Composition

 

Minister of Economic Affairs Mauri Pekkarinen, chairperson
Minister of the Environment Paula Lehtomäki
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Sirkka-Liisa Anttila
Minister of Finance Jyrki Katainen
Minister of Defence Jyri Häkämies
Minister of Housing Jan Vapaavuori
Minister of Culture and Sport Stefan Wallin
Minister of Labour Tarja Cronberg

 

Secretary of the working group
Senior Engineer Petteri Kuuva, Ministry of Employment and

the Economy

 

 

Ministerial working group on educational policy

 

The ministerial working group prepares topical matters relating to education and research policy and other issues under the competence of the Ministry of Education.

 

Composition

 

Minister of Education Sari Sarkomaa, chairperson
Minister of Communications Suvi Lindén
Minister of Transport Anu Vehviläinen
Minister of the Environment Paula Lehtomäki
Minister of Culture and Sport Stefan Wallin
Minister of Justice Tuija Brax

Minister of Health and Social Services Paula Risikko

Minister of Economic Affairs Mauri Pekkarinen

 

Secretary of the working group
Planning Director Kirsi Kangaspunta, Ministry of Education

 

 

Ministerial working group on socio-political issues

 

The ministerial working group on socio-political issues considers key proposals for bills relating to social security and social and health services and other matters that require more extensive preparation, for example, such that aim to raise the average retirement age, to promote employment and to prevent exclusion and poverty.

 

Composition

 

Minister of Social Affairs and Health Liisa Hyssälä, chairperson
Minister of Public Administration and Local Government Mari Kiviniemi
Minister of Health and Social Services Paula Risikko
Minister of Education Sari Sarkomaa
Minister of Culture and Sport Stefan Wallin
Minister of Labour Tarja Cronberg

 

Secretary of the working group
Ministerial Counsellor for Finance Marja-Liisa Parjanne, Ministry of Social Affairs and Health

 

 

Ministerial working group on basic social services

 

The purpose of the basic services programme is to assess changes in the operating environment of municipalities and in the demand of their services, to study trends in municipal finances and changes in their functions and to launch a programme on the measures needed to balance income and expenditure. Municipal finances will be assessed as one whole, as part of public finances and when divided to groups of municipalities. The basic services programme will also assess necessary funding and development of the statutory duties of municipalities and increasing productivity. The programme is prepared and reviewed annually by the ministerial working group.

 

Composition

 

Minister of Finance Jyrki Katainen, chairperson
Minister of Health and Social Services Paula Risikko
Minister of Public Administration and Local Government Mari Kiviniemi
Minister of Social Affairs and Health Liisa Hyssälä
Minister of Migration and European Affairs Astrid Thors
Minister of Justice Tuija Brax

Minister of Transport Anu Vehviläinen

Minister of Education Sari Sarkomaa

 

Secretary of the working group
Senior Adviser for Legal Affairs Arto Sulonen, Ministry of the Interior

 

 

Ministerial working group on transport and communications policy

 

The ministerial working group directs the preparation of the transport policy programme in line with the Government Programme and handles key proposals for bills relating to transport and communications and other matters that require more extensive preparation.

 

Composition

 

Minister of Transport Anu Vehviläinen/Minister of Communications Suvi Lindén, chairpersons

Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen
Minister of Defence Jyri Häkämies
Minister of Migration and European Affairs Astrid Thors
Minister of Justice Tuija Brax

 

Secretary of the working group
Senior Engineer Juha Parantainen, Ministry of Transport and Communications

 

 

Ministerial working group on better regulation

 

The objective of the ministerial working group on better regulation is to strengthen the definition of legislative policy and the steering of law drafting at Government level and thus to improve the quality of legislative processes. The ministerial working group prepares a Government legislative plan in accordance with the Government Programme and is responsible for its implementation. The legislative plan will include the Government’s legislative policy definitions that direct the planning and implementation of legislative projects and a list of key projects during the Government’s term of office.

 

Composition

 

Minister of Justice Tuija Brax, chairperson
Minister of Public Administration and Local Government Mari Kiviniemi
Minister of the Environment Paula Lehtomäki
Minister of Housing Jan Vapaavuori
Minister of the Interior Anne Holmlund
Minister of Migration and European Affairs Astrid Thors

 

Secretary of the working group
Ministerial Adviser Maija Salo, Ministry of Justice

 

 

Ministerial working group on immigration policy

 

The ministerial working group directs the preparation of the immigration policy programme in line with the Government Programme and handles all other immigration policy issues that need to be coordinated and jointly discussed.

 

Composition

 

Minister of Migration and European Affairs Astrid Thors, chairperson
Minister of Education Sari Sarkomaa
Minister of Health and Social Services Paula Risikko
Minister of the Interior Anne Holmlund
Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Paavo Väyrynen
Minister of Public Administration and Local Government Mari Kiviniemi
Minister of Economic Affairs Mauri Pekkarinen
Minister of Justice Tuija Brax

 

Secretary of the working group
Senior Adviser Tiina Palonen-Roihupalo, Ministry of the Interior

 

 

Ministerial groups for the Government policy programmes

 

Policy programme for employment, entrepreneurship and worklife

 

Minister of Economic Affairs Mauri Pekkarinen, chairperson
Minister of Public Administration and Local Government Mari Kiviniemi
Minister of Social Affairs and Health Liisa Hyssälä
Minister of Housing Jan Vapaavuori
Minister of Education Sari Sarkomaa
Minister of the Interior Anne Holmlund
Minister of Migration and European Affairs Astrid Thors
Minister of Labour Tarja Cronberg

 

Policy programme for health promotion

 

Minister of Health and Social Services Paula Risikko, chairperson
Minister of Education Sari Sarkomaa
Minister of Social Affairs and Health Liisa Hyssälä
Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Sirkka-Liisa Anttila
Minister of Culture and Sport Stefan Wallin
Minister of Justice Tuija Brax

 

Policy programme for the well-being of children, youth and families

 

Minister of Culture and Sport Stefan Wallin, chairperson
Minister of Transport Anu Vehviläinen
Minister of the Environment Paula Lehtomäki
Minister of Public Administration and Local Government Mari Kiviniemi
Minister of Education Sari Sarkomaa
Minister of Communications Suvi Lindén
Minister of Health and Social Services Paula Risikko
Minister of Justice Tuija Brax