Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee on Legal Affairs Hoàng Thanh Tùng reported on the draft Law and Ordinance Development Programme for 2024 and adjustments to the one for 2023 on Tuesday. VNA/VNS Photo An Đăng

HÀ NỘI – The National Assembly yesterday discussed the draft Law and Ordinance Development Programme for 2024 and adjustments to the one for 2023.

Chairman of the NA's Committee on Legal Affairs Hoàng Thanh Tùng affirmed the need to prioritise the inclusion of draft laws and ordinances in the programme to implement the resolutions and directives of the Party's 13th National Congress, the Party Central Committee, the Political Bureau, and the Central Steering Committee on fighting corruption and negative phenomena.

It would be necessary to further specify the constitution, implement international commitments, and ensure the timely removal of obstacles and shortcomings to meet the urgent requirements of socio-economic development and international integration.

The inclusion of draft laws and ordinances in the programme must take into account the characteristics of the NA’s activities, time constraints, resources, and workload during each session.

The NA Standing Committee reported and proposed the NA to adjust the 2023 programme, which includes adding and amending four draft laws: the Law on National Defence Industry and Security and Industrial Mobilisation; the Law on Capital; the Law on the Organisation of People's Courts; and the Law on Property Auctions.

They also proposed adding the draft ordinance on litigation costs to the 2023 programme.

The NA Standing Committee agreed to submit to the NA to consider the addition of three draft laws to the 2023 programme, including the Law on Forces Safeguarding Security and Order at the Grassroots Level, the Law on Road Traffic, and the Law on Road Traffic Safety and Order. It also agreed with the Government's proposal to present the Law on Forces Safeguarding Security and Order at the Grassroots Level for opinion at the 5th session and pass them at the 6th session.

In terms of the 2024 programme, the committee proposed ten laws to the NA for approval at the 7th session. Of that, eight draft laws have already received the NA’s opinions at the 6th session, including the amended Law on Social Insurance, the amended Law on Archives, the Law on National Defence Industry and Security and Industrial Mobilisation, the Law on Road Traffic, the Law on Road Traffic Safety and Order, the amended Law on the Capital, the amended Law on the Organisation of People's Courts, and the amended Law on Property Auctions.

Two laws will be submitted to the NA for consideration and approval in one session according to the prescribed procedure, including amendments and additions to the Law on Security Forces and a resolution on the programme for the building of laws and ordinances for 2025.

Regarding the draft law on amendments and additions to the Law on Security Forces, the NA Standing Committee proposed including it in the 2024 programme.

In addition, the committee reported nine draft laws to the NA for opinion at the 7th session and approval at the 8th session. They were the amended Law on Notarisation, the amended Law on Trade Unions, the amended Law on Cultural Heritage, the Law on Minerals, the Law on People's Air Defence, the Law on Urban and Rural Planning, the Law on Juvenile Justice, the amended Law on Pharmacy, and the amended Law on Standards and Technical Regulations.

At the 8th session, the NA will give opinions on two draft laws, including the Law on Gender Transition and the amended Law on Employment.

The NA deputies assessed that the programme for the building of laws and ordinances had been improving in terms of quality and progress. The proposals for law building had been carefully considered, with increasing emphasis on improving the quality of documentation. The process of review of proposed laws by the NA agencies had been strengthened.

Particularly, the social feedback and contributions from the Central Committee of the Việt Nam Fatherland Front and its member organisations, starting from the proposal stage and throughout the drafting process, had significantly contributed to enhancing the quality of law-making work.

Deputy Phạm Trọng Nghĩa from northern Lạng Sơn Province said the number of projects to be added after the NA had decided on the law buiding programme showed swift adjustments to the programme in order to improve the institutional framework, but it also indicated a lack of accurate forecasting.

He cited as an example that the draft programme for 2023 only proposed two projects to be included in the agenda of the 6th session for the NA's opinions. However, according to the proposed adjustments, more six draft laws would be included, three times the number of projects originally decided.

Nghĩa recommended that relevant agencies pay more attention to providing long-term vision in their proposals. Additionally, they should come up with effective solutions to promptly include the remaining laws in the programmes for 2024 and 2025.

Deputy Nguyễn Thị Kim Anh from Bắc Ninh Province said voters had reflected that the review of laws and regulations in some places remained unpractical and failed to provide specific directions.

She proposed that to ensure stability and improve the quality of the law making programme, the Government should provide guidance on conducting thorough reviews to carefully consider the necessity when seeking opinions on law and regulation proposals. – VNS