The 17th session of the National Assembly Standing Committee commenced in Hanoi on April 9, presided over by Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung.

The session, scheduled to last for ten days, will discuss preparations for the fifth sitting of the 13th National Assembly.

In his opening speech, Hung said the draft laws to be discussed include the Land Law (amended), the Law on the Amendment and Supplement to a Number of Articles of the Corporate Income Law, the Law on Natural Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, the Law on Science and Technology (amended), the Law on National Defence and Security Education, the Law on Plant Protection and Quarantine, the Law on Employment and the Law on the Vietnam Fatherland Front (revised).

The committee will give opinions on the draft amendments to the 1992 Constitution, which have been edited based on public opinions.

They will also touch upon the State budget balance for 2011, a number of tax solutions to support production and business activities, the law making programme for 2014 and a project to revamp the NA Office.

Regarding the proposed areas to be inspected by the NA and the NA Standing Committee next year, the legislators agreed that they should be pressing issues of public concern or macro-level problems that need to be handled by the NA and the committee.

Accordingly, the committee selected three options to be submitted to the NA for approval, including the investment and management of hydroelectric plants, economic restructuring and the implementation of policies on poverty reduction.

Meanwhile, the NA Standing Committee will supervise efforts to cope with climate change in the Mekong Delta and the Tan Rai and Nhan Co projects invested by the Vietnam Coal and Mineral Industries Group.-VNA