National Assembly deputies on November 11 suggested creating a Government agency to supervise the use of State funds by State-owned enterprises.

Deputies discussed possible changes to the draft Law on the Management and Use of State Capital during their morning discussion, saying that its Article 5 aims to make State investments in State-owned businesses more efficient, and ensure a level playing field with enterprises from other economic sectors.

Some said the law needs to better define how State capital was used by State-owned enterprises.

Truong Van Vo from southern Dong Nai province said Vietnam needs to overcome its weaknesses in managing State capital, particularly in big corporations. The country is in the middle of structural reforms that will affect public finances so it is important to create a Government agency to correctly manage State enterprises.

Deputy Tran Ngoc Vinh from northern Hai Phong said the law also fails to specify which sectors the State should focus on, adding that investing in specific areas is essential during a time of economic restructuring and social stabilisation.

He added that with negotiations on 15 free trade deals expected to end by 2020, Vietnam is set to become a key link in an expansive economic network, including APEC member economies.

Vinh said the law-compilation committee should clearly state sectors that do not need Government investments and those that need to be fully funded.

Deputy Do Van Ve from the northern province of Thai Binh said the Government should erase a clause that says the representative office and State management office cannot interfere in enterprises' production and business.

He asked the law-compiling committee to specify more about the responsibilities of officers and ownership representatives when managing State enterprise investments.

In the afternoon, deputies discussed the draft law on the promulgation of legal documents and a proposal on textbook reforms.

Most agreed it is necessary to issue the law based on the amendment, supplement and combination between the Law on the Promulgation of Legal Documents in 2008 and the Law on the Promulgation of Legal Documents of the People's Councils and the People's Committees in 2004.

Deputy Dao Van Binh from Hanoi emphasised the need to define which authority can issue legal documents and reduce the number of authorised agencies in charge of doing this. He also called for the simplification of law-issuance procedures.

Deputy Tran Du Lich from HCM City said many contents of the draft law are not suitable to the current constitution, citing that Article 13 stipulating that the People's Councils, not the Government, could issue policies is unreasonable.

Commenting on the content of the textbook and curriculum renovation programme, most deputies said there is a need to create them with reformed contents, including methods of teaching and holding examinations.

They agreed with a plan for many textbooks, saying this will be more suitable for different people in different regions. They suggested that four to five sets of textbooks will be appropriate.

However, deputies disagreed with an initiative that the Ministry of Education and Training join in the compilation of textbooks because this will not be objective.

They also asked the drafting committee to assess the quality of current textbooks before setting up a roadmap for the renovation of the education programme.-VNA