Ownership is one of several policy instruments that the state can utilise to realise its objectives. The companies in which the state has interests are independent legal entities outside ordinary central government administration. For the wholly-owned companies that have been assigned social responsibility, corporate control can also include performance auditing.

The cabinet minister’s administration is assessed on the basis of the following four audit perspectives

• Compliance with the decisions and intentions of the Storting
• Fulfilment of social responsibility and sector policy goals
• Efficient and effective operations that are financially sound
• Correct information submitted to the Storting and the Office of the Auditor General

The audit perspectives that are to be assigned the greatest importance in the process of monitoring the administration of the individual company stem from an annual assessment of materiality and risk that is based on the OAG’s overriding risk assessments.

In this context materiality means the importance of the company for the state. Risk is to be understood as the probability of the administration of the company deviating from the decisions and intentions of the Storting.

From and including 2005-2006 the results of corporate control are reported in Document no. 1. Results from earlier years are reported in Document no. 3:2.