State Secretary and Permanent State Under-Secretary

State Secretary

A State Secretary has been appointed to the Prime Minister’s Office since 1990 and his/her term is linked to that of the Prime Minister. The duties of the State Secretary are, as the Prime Minister’s closest aide, to promote and monitor the implementation of the Government Programme, to direct preparation of matters in the Government and to ensure cooperation with the ministries.

A State Secretary directs the Prime Minister’s Office and is assisted by the Permanent State Under-Secretary. The State Secretary to the Prime Minister also chairs meetings of the ministries’ Permanent Secretaries. State Secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office is Mr Henrik Haapajärvi.

Permanent State Under-Secretary

The duties of Timo Lankinen, Permanent State Under-Secretary, include directing and monitoring the work of the Prime Minister's Office. The Permanent State Under-Secretary ensures the quality of legal drafting and the coordination of preparatory work by public officials in the Prime Minister's Office. He is also responsible for preparatory work on the objectives of the Prime Minister's Office and for monitoring their implementation.

The Permanent State Under-Secretary directs and develops the administration and ensures the overall security and preparedness of the Prime Minister's Office. He also acts as rapporteur during the process of forming a government.