The militia law regulates the obligation of citizens to join civil defence activities and organizations.

Many deputies queried whether those who fulfilled their duty would be exempt from military services and vice versa.

The head of the NA Legal Commission, Nguyen Van Thuan, said the force should be first established at State agencies before being approved in private enterprises.

Some suggested the law should regulate specific conditions for militia people in enterprises, but NA Deputy Chairman Uong Chu Luu said the task would be decided by an authoritative body.

The deputies agreed with an amendment to the draft law that it would not regulate the establishment of a defence and security fund, but leave this to the Government.

Most of the deputies commented that the NA and NA Standing Committee had done well in supervising national socio-economic programmes this year.

This included the implementation of legal policies for managing food safety, the use of State funds and properties by corporations and groups, the resettlement of people to make way for the Son La hydro power plant, and the anti-corruption fight at courts, the procuracy, Ministry of Public Security and Government Inspectorate.

The chairman of the NA Office, Tran Dinh Dan, proposed seven areas for supervision-land use, management and planning: investment in renewing and improving the quality of education and training, the use of the social security fund, the effectiveness of the Government’s stimulus package, administrative reform, the national anti-poverty programme’s second phase, and the law relating to sending labourers to work overseas.

Both deputies agreed that guest workers and the anti-poverty programme should be considered.

The supervision programme will be discussed at the next session of the Standing Committee before being submitted to the following NA meeting.