Draft Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Statistics: Need to reduce the burden of administrative reporting

On the morning of October 9, under the direction of Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Vu Hong Thanh, the National Assembly Standing Committee gave opinions on the draft Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Statistics.

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man speaks. Photo: Ho Long

Provide accurate, objective and timely statistical information

Briefing the Government's Report, Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang said that amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Statistics was carried out to create a legal corridor for this activity; providing accurate, objective, timely statistical information, correctly and fully reflecting the socio-economic situation in each period; helping to analyze, plan and operate macro policies, ensuring international comparison requirements in all fields.

Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Vu Hong Thanh chaired the meeting. Photo: Ho Long

Compared to the Law on Statistics, the draft Law retains 37 articles, amends 35 articles and adds 2 articles. In particular, the draft Law focuses on amending a group of regulations related to the arrangement of the state apparatus and state statistical organizations, the organization of two-level local governments; regulations related to specialized statistical inspection, specialized statistical inspection; related to statistical expertise and profession arising in practice; regulations related to the application of statistical methods, information technology and digital transformation in state statistical activities.

The Minister also said that the draft Law on adjusting, amending, supplementing and replacing 15 articles of the Law on Statistics mainly relates to adjusting the names of agencies and units.

In particular, the phrase "district level" is abolished, the phrase "district level" is replaced by "commune level" , the phrase "district level" is replaced by "grassroots level" , the phrase "Ministry of Planning and Investment" is replaced by "Ministry of Finance" in a number of articles and clauses of the Law on Statistics, ensuring the names of agencies in the state apparatus and local government organizations at 2 levels. At the same time, specialized agencies under the People's Committee at the commune level are added to comprehensively and fully reflect the information sources that form the statistical information system of ministries and branches.

Minister of Finance Nguyen Van Thang presented a summary of the Government's Proposal. Photo: Ho Long

In the summary report of the preliminary review report of the draft Law, Chairman of the Economic and Financial Committee Phan Van Mai said that the Standing Committee of the Committee agreed with the scope of amendments proposed by the Government on the scope of amendments and supplements, focusing on urgent issues, consistent with the goal of ensuring consistency, consistent with current legal regulations, ensuring timeliness and feasibility in implementing statistical tasks.

Regarding the group of amended regulations related to the arrangement of the state apparatus, promoting decentralization and delegation of power, the Standing Committee of the Committee agreed with the proposed amendments related to the organization of statistical tasks at all levels, regulating "district level" to "commune level". In addition, it is recommended that the drafting agency carefully review to ensure feasibility, suitability with the characteristics of the agency performing statistical tasks at the commune level, ensuring consistency in the names, functions and tasks of the units after abolishing the district level and merging the functions of specialized agencies.

Clearly define authority between management levels

National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man emphasized that the amendment and supplementation of a number of articles of the Law on Statistics must ensure the reduction of administrative reporting burden, data security and technology integration. The national database has now been assigned by the Government to the Ministry of Public Security for management, and agencies and units can exploit this database. Therefore, in the coming time, it is necessary to increase the exploitation of administrative data to reduce the burden on localities when they have to invest a lot of time in building reports during the day, week and month.

Delegates attending the meeting. Photo: Ho Long

Making specific requests for the draft Law, the National Assembly Chairman suggested that it is necessary to calculate how to increase the timeliness and accuracy of statistical indicators, support, analysis, and forecasting of the macro economy.

Along with that, it is necessary to Supplement regulations on personal data protection and cybersecurity in statistics to build trust among people and businesses and encourage voluntary data sharing, aiming to achieve the goal of 50% of statistical data being exploited from administrative sources by 2030. At the same time, clearly define the authority between management levels and increase responsibility for localities in accordance with the spirit of Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW on a number of issues on continuing to innovate and reorganize the political system to be streamlined, effective and efficient . Thereby, helping local data reflect reality more closely, supporting the policy-making process at the local level.

Delegates attending the meeting. Photo: Ho Long

The National Assembly Chairman proposed Update the list of national statistical indicators to be consistent with the current green economic and digital economic development goals as well as the Resolution of the 13th National Party Congress, supporting the preparation of documents to be submitted to the 14th National Party Congress.

The National Assembly Chairman also suggested that it is necessary to develop a roadmap for propaganda, dissemination and supervision of the implementation of the Law on Amendments and Supplements to a Number of Articles of the Law on Statistics in agencies, units, enterprises and people, to ensure the accuracy and effectiveness of the national statistical system. Integrate statistics from all levels, sectors and social organizations to ensure the accuracy and consistency of statistical data.

Emphasizing that “The Law amending and supplementing a number of articles of the Law on Statistics is not only a legal document but also a supporting tool for implementing rapid and sustainable economic development”, the National Assembly Chairman noted that the amendment and supplement of a number of articles of the current law this time needs to be associated with digital transformation and the application of artificial intelligence to effectively support the implementation of statistical work, analysis and decision-making.

Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Tran Quang Phuong stated that the important role of data and statistical work has been affirmed in theory and practice. Therefore, the drafting agency needs to provide a supplementary report to clarify whether the amendment and supplementation of a number of articles of the current law ensures the creation of an input basis for strategic consulting work, increases the reliability of statistical data, creates connectivity, and avoids conflicts and overlaps.

The Vice Chairman of the National Assembly also suggested that it is necessary to clarify the relationship between the Central Statistical Agency as stipulated in the draft Law and the National Data Center under the Ministry of Public Security; the appropriateness of assigning the function of forecasting and building short-term, medium-term and long-term macroeconomic scenarios to the Central Statistical Agency...

Concluding the content, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Vu Hong Thanh suggested that the drafting agency continue to review the contents of the draft law to ensure consistency with the Party's guidelines, policies and directions for innovation in law-making, thereby contributing to unlocking all resources for development and improving the investment and business environment. At the same time, thoroughly grasp Regulation No. 178-QD/TW of the Politburo on controlling power, preventing and combating corruption and negativity in law-making.

Source: https://daibieunhandan.vn/du-thao-luat-sua-doi-bo-sung-mot-so-dieu-cua-luat-thong-ke-can-giam-ganh-nang-bao-cao-hanh-chinh-10389689.html