8th Session, 15th National Assembly: Improving the quality and effectiveness of the National Assembly's supervisory activities

On the afternoon of November 22, continuing the program of the 8th Session, the National Assembly discussed in groups the draft Law on amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Technical Standards and Regulations; the draft Law on amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Supervisory Activities of the National Assembly and People's Councils.

Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat presents the Proposal on the draft Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Technical Standards and Regulations. Photo: An Dang/VNA

Before discussing in groups and working in the hall, National Assembly deputies listened to Minister of Science and Technology Huynh Thanh Dat present the Government's Proposal on the draft Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Technical Standards and Regulations; Chairman of the Committee on Science, Technology and Environment Le Quang Huy presented the report on examining the draft Law.

Giving opinions on the draft Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Supervisory Activities of the National Assembly and People's Councils, National Assembly deputies agreed with the necessity of amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Supervisory Activities of the National Assembly and People's Councils. The draft Law dossier was prepared seriously and elaborately, basically ensuring full documentation as prescribed in the Law on Promulgation of Legal Documents.

The National Assembly's consideration and promulgation of the Law will promptly institutionalize the Party's policy on innovation, improving the effectiveness and efficiency of supervision activities to contribute to improving the quality and efficiency of the activities of the National Assembly and People's Councils; overcoming limitations and shortcomings in the provisions of the current Law; at the same time, ensuring consistency and unity with relevant laws and resolutions newly promulgated by the National Assembly.

Delegates suggested that the National Assembly's supervision should focus on issues raised by the Party for the National Assembly, issues of concern to voters and the people. Through supervision, strengths and limitations must be pointed out; especially recommendations/solutions to overcome them in the coming time. At the same time, attention must be paid to post-supervision, ensuring that post-supervision recommendations are implemented seriously and effectively.

Some opinions suggested that the Drafting Committee of the Law complete the concepts of supreme supervision, thematic supervision, supervision of the National Assembly, supervision of the People's Council; ensure brevity, focus, clarity, easy to understand, easy to do, easy to implement and easy to supervise; fully identify the necessary principles in supervision activities; clearly define the criteria for selecting the content of explanation;...

Delegate Dang Bich Ngoc (Hoa Binh) said that the principles of supervision activities must be guiding ideas, basic requirements that have an orientation, control, and consistency throughout the supervision activities that all subjects must follow when conducting supervision activities. Therefore, if this content is added to the principles, it should be separated into a separate section, otherwise it is appropriate to keep it according to the current draft. Sharing the same opinion, delegate Do Thi Lan (Quang Ninh) suggested that it would be more appropriate to leave the principles according to current regulations. If principles are put forward, they must be close to reality.

Delegate Tran Thi Hong Thanh (Ninh Binh) suggested that the drafting agency continue to study and supplement a number of regulations to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of the supervision conclusions, such as: there should be regulations to periodically summarize recommendations on supervision conclusions that have not been implemented or partially implemented, associated with the responsibility of the head of the supervising agency, as a basis for the process of taking a vote of confidence. Regulations on sanctions in cases where agencies and individuals fail to implement the recommendations within the deadline or do not implement them properly. Regulations on the responsibility of media agencies in reflecting the situation and results of implementing supervision conclusions and recommendations, and strengthening monitoring and urging the implementation of recommendations after supervision.

Delegate Luong Van Hung (Quang Ngai) proposed to add to the draft amended Law specific provisions on sanctions for agencies and individuals who are slow or do not resolve recommendations after supervision by the National Assembly Delegation and the People's Council, and clearly stipulate the deadline for relevant agencies, organizations and individuals to respond to supervision recommendations of the National Assembly Standing Committee, the Ethnic Council and Committees, National Assembly Delegations and National Assembly deputies.

Commenting on the draft Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Technical Standards and Regulations, the comments basically agreed with the necessity of drafting the Law for the reasons stated in the Government's Submission; requesting the drafting agency to continue reviewing and fully institutionalizing the Party and State's guidelines and policies to be reflected in the draft Law and recommend amending the provisions in other relevant laws; reviewing and comparing the draft Law with other laws such as: Law on Product and Goods Quality; Law on Science and Technology, Law on Competition, Law on Investment, Law on State Budget, etc. Comparing with laws recently passed by the National Assembly or draft laws being submitted to the National Assembly for consideration to ensure the consistency of the legal system; continuing to review and compare with relevant international treaties to which Vietnam is a member to ensure compatibility.

Some delegates suggested that the development of Vietnam's technical standards and regulations must be consistent with and based on international standards, avoiding costly construction and ineffective application. Because many Vietnamese goods exported to other countries must also comply with the standards and regulations set forth by that country. In addition, it was suggested to study the responsibility of agencies when issuing standards and regulations that cause difficulties for people and businesses, and even standards and regulations that are higher than in practice.

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