VietNamNet Bridge – National Assembly deputies yesterday, Nov 17, discussed ways of improving laws and making them more efficient during the present 13th term.

During the 12th term (2007-2011), the Assembly and its Standing Committee issued a large number of laws, ordinances and resolutions.

This was to create a legal framework for socio-economic development, strengthen security and national defence - and ensure social security.

However, deputies agreed that the efficiency of some laws remained limited and pointed to the need to draw lessons from the last law building programme.

Deputy Do Thi Hoang from central Quang Binh Province said relevant agencies should spend time on a survey of legal documents to ensure their feasibility.

Deputy Bui Sy Loi from central Thanh Hoa Province said the law building programme should prioritise laws that satisfied the demands of socio-economic development and ensured social security.

He raised the need to consult the public to make sure the laws fell in line with public demand.

Some deputies said to save the limited human resources, it was necessary to focus on building laws that really met public demand while other issues should be regulated by ordinances or resolutions.

They stressed that NA deputies who were experts in particular areas should be appointed to help create laws.

Later, deputies discussed a draft law on educating the public about the law. They said this was necessary to raise awareness of the law and to improve their feasibility.

Deputy Nguyen Xuan Truong from northern Hai Phong Province said the draft law should clarify responsibilities of relevant ministries, agencies and social organisations in disseminating laws.

Regarding the teaching of laws at schools, he said the draft law should clearly define law-education for different education levels, from nursery to higher education.

Deputy Danh Ut from Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta Kien Giang Province said this education should be grafted onto the curricular of the national education system and onto cultural activities in residential areas.

He said priority should be given to people in remote mountainous and island areas and also for ethnic minority people.

Some deputies suggested the draft law should entrust youth unions to help disseminate the law.

They all agreed with the need to establish a National Day for Law on November 9 each year to advance the public's knowledge of legal matters.

Plan for Q&A session

National Assembly deputies will have two and a half days to develop questions on hot issues to ask the Prime Minister and five senior Governmental officials at live Q&A sessions next week, said the 13th NA standing committee.

Starting on November 23, the ministers of transport, finance, education and training, agriculture and rural development, and the head of the State Bank will answer questions raised by deputies.

The respondents were selected based on an analysis of 121 questions submitted by 61 deputies to PM Nguyen Tan Dung, Deputy PM Nguyen Thien Nhan and 16 other ministers and senior officials earlier this week.

Minister of Transport Dinh La Thang will respond to two groups of questions, including those on measures to reduce traffic accidents nationwide and traffic jams in big cities, and measures to speed up and improve the quality of degraded transport infrastructure in the context of State budget cuts. He will be supported by the ministers of public security, finance, construction and planning and investment.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat will focus on a number of issues, including the implementation of investment policy for agriculture, farmers, rural areas, building up hi-tech agriculture, developing the rice export market and protecting agricultural trademarks for export. He will also offer solutions to reduce the negative effects of climate change and disasters, and reserving 3.8 million ha of land for rice cultivation.

Issues on price management and control on essential goods such as petrol, electricity, coal and public services, as well as the effects of this management on production, business and lives will be addressed by Minister of Finance Vuong Dinh Hue. He will also talk about losses and gains for related enterprises, measures to increase tax collection while avoiding losses and reduce the State budget deficit and public debt to ensure financial security.

Minister of Education and Training Pham Vu Luan's session will focus on education quality at all school levels, and the planning, establishment and upgrading of universities and training co-operation for graduates. He will also talk about the poor infrastructure in schools, and issues of extra classes, excessive school fees and the shortage of pre-schools.

The State Bank of Viet Nam's Governor Nguyen Van Binh will have answers on measures to re-structure the banking system and ensuring the system's security as a contribution to maintain monetary value and the monetary market. He will also talk about the management, supervision and inspection of banks, measures to punish credit organisations and bank staff who violate banking laws and regulations, and measures to combat inflation.

PM Dung is scheduled to speak on some concerning issues as well as provide answers to questions on some key economic and social issues.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News