The National Assembly Standing Committee's meeting on Monday, July 27 in Hà Nội. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The National Assembly Standing Committee (NASC) yesterday discussed a draft resolution on crime prevention and control, law enforcement, and the work of the People's Procuracy, the People's Courts and judgment enforcement.

Presenting a preliminary verification report, Mai Thị Phương Hoa, vice chairwoman of the NA's Committee on Law and Justice, said the committee and other NA bodies agreed with the scope of the draft resolution to replace Resolution No. 96/2019/QH14.

Regarding targets for the People's Procuracy in handling petitions requesting cassation and reopening procedures, the draft resolution proposes two options.

Under the first option, the procuracy would increase the annual rate of processing such petitions, giving priority to those nearing the statutory deadline for protest. It would also ensure petitions are handled within the prescribed time limit, on a sound legal basis and in accordance with the law, while minimising cases in which a petition is rejected for lack of grounds but is subsequently protested by a competent authority.

The second option sets a specific target of resolving at least 60 per cent of petitions each year, while maintaining the same principles on prioritisation, legal compliance and reducing inconsistencies in handling cases.

Most permanent members of the Committee on Law and Justice and the Committee on Deputy Affairs supported the second option, noting that it retains the benchmark established in Resolution No. 96/2019/QH14.

They said maintaining the 60 per cent target would encourage judicial bodies to make greater efforts in handling citizens' petitions while providing a measurable basis for parliamentary oversight and evaluation.

The NASC commended the Committee on Law and Justice for its proactive co-ordination with the Ethnic Council and other NA committees in preparing the preliminary verification report, which clearly articulated its views and offered substantial recommendations for the drafting body.

Concluding the discussion, NA Vice Chairman Nguyễn Khắc Định requested the drafting body to further review the draft to ensure consistency with the Party's policies and relevant legislation, while conducting a more comprehensive assessment of the financial resources required to implement the resolution.

Định stressed that the NASC supported a comprehensive revision of the resolution to enhance the effectiveness of prosecutorial, investigative and judicial agencies, thereby meeting the increasingly demanding requirements of legal reform and judicial modernisation in the new stage of development.

He instructed the drafting body to fully incorporate comments made during the meeting, the formal appraisal by the Committee on Law and Justice and opinions from relevant agencies before finalising the draft for submission to the NA at its first extraordinary session.

Restructuring audit office

Also in yesterday's meeting, the NASC adopted a resolution on the number of specialised units within the State Audit Office of Việt Nam and approved renaming the Department of Audit Regime and Quality Control as the Department of State Audit Policy.

Presenting the proposal, Auditor General Nguyễn Hữu Nghĩa said the resolution aims to streamline the organisational structure of the State Audit Office in line with its assigned functions and responsibilities while ensuring the effective allocation and use of personnel.

He said the restructuring would strengthen the agency's capacity, credibility and operational effectiveness, enabling it to better fulfil its role as a key instrument of the Party and the State in overseeing the management and use of public resources and the State Budget.

The reforms are also intended to contribute to building a disciplined, safe, efficient and sustainable national financial system while supporting efforts to combat corruption, wastefulness and other negative practices.

Chairman of the Committee on Law and Justice Phan Chí Hiếu said the committee agreed on the need to issue the resolution, noting that the submission dossier fully complied with procedural requirements under the Standing Committee's working regulations.

The committee also endorsed the proposal to reduce the number of specialised audit units from eight to seven to better align with the restructured organisation of ministries and sectors, which now oversee multiple sectors and fields.

The committee recommended that, alongside organisational restructuring, the State Audit Office continue improving the quality of its auditors, modernising audit methods and accelerating the application of information technology and digital transformation to meet the objectives of the State Audit Development Strategy to 2030 and fulfil audit tasks assigned by the National Assembly.

Under the approved restructuring plan, the number and names of advisory units, regional audit offices and public service units will largely remain unchanged.

The renamed Department of State Audit Policy will focus on research, drafting, issuing and supervising policies, standards, procedures, methodologies and professional guidance relating to audit operations and audit documentation. VNS