NA Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân speaks at the National Assembly Standing Committee’s 19th session in Hà Nội yesterday. – VNA/VNS Photo Trọng Đức

HÀ NỘI – The National Assembly Standing Committee will examine reports on the functioning of local legislatures and discuss several key issues including the establishment of a new town, housing support for contributors to the revolution and compensation for people displaced by major road projects.  

NA Chairwoman Nguyễn Thị Kim Ngân, presiding over the committee’s 19th session that opened in Hà Nội yesterday, also said that they will review outcomes of the fourth sitting of the 14^th National Assembly and preparations for next sitting.

Ngân said legislators will study a report on results of supervision of resolutions and operations of centrally-run municipal and provincial people’s councils.

The establishment of Ninh Cường Town in the northern province of Nam Định’s Trực Ninh District will also be considered during the four-day session, she said.

The committee will discuss adjustments to the five-year (2016-2020) investment plan on housing support to people who have contributed to the revolution and as well as compensation under projects to upgrade and expand the National Highway 1 section from the central province of Thanh Hóa to the Mekong Delta province of Cần Thơ, as well as section of the Hồ Chí Minh Highway crossing the Central Highlands.

In addition to reviewing external activities and international co-operation in 2017, the lawmakers are scheduled to approve the committee’s external affair programme for 2018 and give opinions on international co-operation activities of the Ethnic Council, committees, parliamentarians’ friendship groups, agencies under the NA Standing Committee, the State Audit Office of Vietnam and the NA Office.

Meetings with voters

The NA supervising team highlighted the high attendance at meetings with voters, which reached up to 98 per cent in some instances.

The effective conduct of such meetings has reduced the number of unsettled complaints and denunciations, it said.

Chairman of the NA Law Committee, Nguyễn Khắc Định, said that communication with voters in some localities has been improved by using different information channels including live broadcasts. As a result, most complaints and denunciations were addressed in a more timely and effective manner, he said.

Định cited the central province of Quảng Ngãi as a good example where there was no face-to-face meeting between deputies and voters, the all the opinions and ideas presented by the latter were received.

NA Ombudsman Nguyễn Thanh Hải supported the supervision team’s report, saying that it was necessary to keep meeting voters to strengthen links between them and members of parliament. She suggested that more meeting modes are devised to expand their reach.

The NA Standing Committee will also discuss the operation and organisational structure of People’s Councils at provincial level for ensuring high efficiency in the  performance of their duties.  -- VNS