The National Assembly Standing Committee convenes in its 26th session on Wednesday. — VNA/VNS Photo Doãn Tấn

HÀ NỘI — More than 38,000 buildings still fail to meet fire safety requirements, according to statistics presented at the National Assembly (NA) Standing Committee meeting on Wednesday.

These constructions were built when the now outdated fire prevention and safety standards were still in effect, some of them have had to halt operations due to failure to meet the new requirements.

However, the widespread hiatus will also mean negative impacts to the overall business activities, according to the Ministry of Public Security (MPS).

A government report said that in the first eight months of 2023, the country counted 2,031 fires (38.2 per cent increase compared to the same period last year), 83 casualties (48.2 per cent increase) and 74 injuries (5.7 per cent increase)

These incidents have caused damage worth VNĐ637 billion (US$26.3 million).

The MPS and MoC have been working on reviewing fire safety and prevention standards to address the shortcomings and resume business operations.

NA deputy Nguyễn Thị Thanh said that authorities need to investigate why fires were occurring consecutively and why new preventive measures did not bring expected results.

Crime prevention

A report by the NA Committee for Justice said that the number of drug crimes detected has risen by 18.4 per cent, while the total amount of narcotics seized jumped by 1,484.2 per cent.

The situation is further complicated by narcotics disguised as e-cigarettes, food and drink consumed by young people, in addition to the illegal use of synthetic drugs that were recorded in several localities.

Deputy public security minister Lê Văn Tuyến said that more than 37.8 per cent of drug crimes detected are transhipments to other countries through Việt Nam, which were happening not only by land but also by sea and by air.

These shipments are now not only from the drug trafficking “golden triangle” of Myanmar, Thailand and Laos in Southeast Asia but also from Africa, said the officer.

Tuyến added: “The increased number of drug cases detected also showed Vietnamese police forces and authorities’ efforts and international cooperation in uncovering drug routes that travel through Việt Nam.”

The report also said that organised crimes have reduced by 26.9 per cent, while the number of sexual abuse cases against people aged 16 and under decreased by 5.6 per cent.

However, several crimes are on the rise, including murder, robbery and fraudulent appropriation of assets.

Deputy head of the NA Committee on Justice Nguyễn Mạnh Phường said that the government has implemented multiple measures to ensure social security and economic growth, including preventing corruption, acts of bribery and terrorism.

The NA justice committee proposed that the government conduct a further review to take appropriate measures, especially in administrative procedures and dividing clear responsibilities among management of all levels.

On the same day, the NA Standing Committee also discussed reports mitigating the impacts of extreme weather phenomena, controlling dengue virus and hand-foot-mouth disease, exports and imports, and building materials for urban areas in the Mekong (Cửu Long) Delta. — VNS