The draft revised bills on alcohol harm prevention, audit and libraries will top the agenda at the ongoing 14th National Assembly (NA)’s seventh session on May 23.

In the morning, Chairwoman of the NA’s Committee for Social Issues Nguyen Thuy Anh delivered a report on the amended bill on alcohol harm prevention, which has attracted great public attention in recent time amid an increase in the number of shocking accidents that claim the lives of many people.

After hearing the report of the revised bill, consisting of seven chapters with 36 articles, legislators will scrutinise several debatable issues such as regulations on management, advertising and sponsorship of alcohol and beer, measures to control hand-made alcohol, and measures to reduce negative impacts of alcohol and beer.

In the afternoon, Auditor General of the State Audit Office of Vietnam Ho Duc Phoc and Chairman of the NA’s Committee for Finance-State Budget Nguyen Duc Hai will deliver a report on the draft law on audit.

The revised law focuses on the State Audit Office of Vietnam’s responsibilities and relations with competent agencies, as well as regulations on responsibilities of individuals and organisations for auditing activities.

Meanwhile, a report on the revised library law will be presented by Minister of Culture, Sport and Tourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien and Chairman of the NA’s Committee for Culture, Education, Youth, and Adolescents Phan Thanh Binh.

Issues under debate are specific kinds of libraries, activities of libraries, regulations on providing library information products and chargeable library services, and coordination between domestic and foreign libraries.

After that, the deputies will discuss the revised laws in groups.

NA discuss Government reports on socio-economic performance in 2018, 2019

Deputy Ly Tiet Hanh of Binh Dinh province speaks at the 7th session of the 14th National Assembly on May 22

On the third working day of the 14th National Assembly’s 7th session, lawmakers discussed in groups the Government’s supplementary reports on the implementation of socio-economic development plans and State budget in 2018 and the first months of 2019 in the morning.

At the discussions, speakers mostly approved the Government’s reports and hailed the Government’s flexible management along with achieved outcomes. They highlighted the macroeconomic stability, an 11-year record growth of 7.08 percent, State budget collections surpassing estimates after three years failing to meet targets, and lower-than-estimate budget overspending.

At the same time, NA deputies demanded that more detailed analysis is needed for the objective and subjective causes of the 2018 achievements in order to find positive factors to better serve management work in 2019 and following years. They made suggestions with the view to improving the reports on a range of social and economic issues.

In the afternoon, a report of the NA Committee on Laws explaining and adjusting the draft law on enforcement of criminal sentences was presented to the NA, followed by debates on issues of difference.

After the discussion, Minister of Public Security To Lam, on behalf of the law drafting board, explained issues raised by deputies.

Vice NA Chairman Uong Chu Luu requested the law drafting and verification agencies studied the NA deputies’ opinions and further refined the draft law.

On May 23, the NA is scheduled to spend half a day to listen to a report on the revision of the draft law on alcohol harm prevention and give opinions on contentious issues in the draft.

In the afternoon, several draft laws and reports verifying some draft laws will be presented to the legislature.

VNA