All Government members were present at the National Assembly in an unprecedented question-and-answer session on November 16, at which deputies are free to ask questions on any issues.

Minister of Education and Training Pham Vu Luan.

In previous Q&A sessions, only four ministers were selected to appear to answer questions, and the issues addressed during the sessions were also decided beforehand.

The session, which is broadcast live from the National Hall on national television and radio, will last two days and a half. On November 18 - the final day of the meeting, the Prime Minister will clarify several issues and answer deputies’ questions from 10am-11:15am.

The legislators will raise questions regarding the implementation of the NA’s resolutions on specialised supervision and Q&A sessions from the beginning of the 13 th tenure to 2015.

They are also to review the country’s developments, including work done by the President and the NA Chairman.

NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung said the aim of the Q&A session is to consider the efficiency of Q&A activities, thereby improving the operation of the central and grassroots authorities and fixing any shortcomings.

Among the first to go before the NA on November 16, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Cao Duc Phat fielded questions on the differences in statistics of the area of forests planted to compensate for those destroyed to build hydropower plants, and the registration and control of pesticide quality.

He also gave solutions to developing hi-tech agriculture and quickening the disbursement for fishermen to build ships as stipulated in Decree 67/2014/ND-CP.

Minister of Industry and Trade Vu Huy Hoang was queried on the implementation of the government’s Decree 111/2015/ND-CP on developing support industry, business support in applying new technologies, producing hi-tech products and providing hi-tech services. The deputies also wanted to know what measures have been taken to curb counterfeits, and the roadmap for cutting tariffs on imported automobiles.

Minister of Education and Training Pham Vu Luan, for his part, made replies to history teaching in schools, and the recruitment of students in universities and colleges based on the results of the national high school graduation examination.

Minister of Science and Technology Nguyen Quan fielded questions on technological renovation, support to individuals, organisations and businesses in inventing, transferring and renovating technologies, incentives for business ventures and establishment of venture funds used for hi-tech development.

For her part, Minister of Public Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien explained welfare policies for persons infected with toxic chemicals during resistance wars.

Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Pham Thi Hai Chuyen was asked about the planning and quality improvement for vocational training establishments.

Lawmakers also questioned the Procurator General of the People’s Supreme Procuracy about specific cases.

Deputies, voters satisfied with Q&A session

The National Assembly's ongoing live-broadcast question and answer session, which began on November 16, has been appreciated by deputies and voters nationwide as one of the legislature’s efforts to renovate and increase the efficiency of its operations.

This is the first time all Government members have attended the Q&A session to respond to deputies’ queries regarding their remit.

On the sidelines of the event, deputies showed their satisfaction with reports of the Government and several ministry and sector heads, agreeing that the organisation of this Q&A session satisfies aspirations of both deputies and voters.

Deputy Do Van Ve from the northern province of Thai Binh said that the renovation of the Q&A session will help NA deputies, voters and people nationwide understand more about efforts of ministers and Cabinet members to address weaknesses.

Echoing Ve’s opinion, deputy Tran Ngoc Vinh from the northern city of Hai Phong said this is a good way to re-evaluate issues which were questioned at the previous sessions and have yet to be addressed, and the responsibility of heads of ministries and sectors on these issues.

He and deputy Pham Tat Thang from Vinh Long southern province shared the same view that the 15-page Government report not only mentioned the achievements but also pointed out the weaknesses and shortcomings and set forth solutions to them.

“The Government straightly admitted its responsibility. I feel relatively satisfied with its report,” stated Vinh.

Regarding outstanding achievements, Vinh said that the Government succeeded in increasing the GDP growth rate to 6.5 percent, the highest over the past five years, and directing the State Bank to stabilise the Vietnamese dong and reducing the bad debt rate of over 17 percent to a low level.

According to Ho Chi Minh City’s deputy Truong Thi Anh, the report showed that a lot of issues mentioned at the previous sessions have been acquired by the National Assembly, citing the promulgation of a decree to promote the role of support industry as an example.

Meanwhile, the city’s Deputy Huynh Ngoc Anh highlighted a report delivered by Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc on the implementation of the NA’s resolutions on specialised supervision and question-and-answer activities since the outset of the 13th tenure in 2011 until present.

Anh said that since 2011, the Government has done well in boosting the nation’s economic development, in spite of numerous difficulties in the national and world economic situations.

The Q&A session also drew special attention from voters nationwide. Farmer Hoang Thi Lan in Hung Nguyen district, the central province of Nghe An said she and other farmers could watch the live Q&A session and feel an open, democratic and straightforward atmosphere.

She said she is delighted as information comes to people from all walks of life, including farmers.

Nguyen Phuong Thao from the Party Central Committee’s Interior Commission said that during the session, lawmakers straightly raised questions on numerous issues of the nation, while answerers also straightly replied to the queries.

Most of voters said that they want this form of Q&A will be duplicated, so the Government and ministries can carry out timely measures to address the weaknesses and shortcomings.

The Q&A session is scheduled to last two and a half days.

The Prime Minister will have 75 minutes to answer queries on the last day of the session on November 18 morning.

VNA