NA Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn speaks at the ongoing session of the NA Standing Committee on Thursday. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Preparations for the first session of the 16th National Assembly (NA) next week have been basically completed, said Lê Quang Mạnh, Chairman of the NA Office, on Thursday at the ongoing session of the NA Standing Committee.

The NA session is scheduled to open on the morning of April 6 and is expected to close on April 24.

The legislature is set to convene for 11 working days in two phases, with an eight-day recess between the two phases for agencies to revise and finalise draft laws and resolutions.

During the break, the NA Standing Committee will hold a meeting to review, comment on and decide on issues within its authority.

At the first session, the 16th NA will consider and decide on organisational and personnel matters, draft laws and resolutions, as well as key issues related to socio-economic development, finance, budget, supervision and other important issues.

NA Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn said content to be discussed in the first phase should be carefully reviewed, with only essential issues selected.

He emphasised the need to ensure both quality and progress in passing draft laws and resolutions in line with the agenda. If necessary, the NA may convene specialised sessions to consider and decide on urgent issues, rather than concentrating all content in the first session.

During the NA Standing Committee’s session on Thursday, legislators gave feedback on outcomes of thematic supervision programmes in 2025, the first months of 2026 and plans for thematic supervision in 2027.

The NA Committee for People's Aspirations and Oversight proposed the 2027 thematic supervision on the implementation of policies and laws on administrative procedure reform in state management for the 2021–26 period, the implementation of policies and laws on food safety for the 2021–26 period and the operation of People’s Councils of the provinces and cities from the beginning of the 2026–31 tenure to the end of June 2027.

NA Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn asked relevant committees to put food safety on the supervision agenda as early as 2026, following the recent discovery of nearly 300 tonnes of diseased pork being supplied to schools.

He stressed the need to promptly launch thematic supervision on food safety, rather than delaying it as previously planned.

He called for a focus on the situation in 2026, particularly at school kitchens, where a number of concerning issues have emerged. — VNS