Transferring rights to explore and exploit minerals topped the agenda at the 35th session of the National Assembly Standing Committee chaired by NA Vice Chairman Nguyen Duc Kien yesterday.

Discussions on this topic stemmed from the amended draft Law on Minerals.

Chairman of the National Assembly’s Finance and Budget Committee Phung Quoc Hien said the definitions of minerals exploration, exploitation and processing in the draft law had not been clearly written.

Chairman of the NA Committee for Culture, Education, Youth and Children Dao Trong Thi said the regulations for transferring the rights must be tightened and that it was crucial to have Government’s involvement in the deals to limit speculation.

“In fact, there have been many cases of qualified companies winning bids for minerals exploration and exploitation that have then transferred their rights to unqualified enterprises,” Thi said.

Nguyen Van Thuan, chairman of the NA’s Legal Committee, agreed, saying companies should be required to meet specific criteria to bid on projects or accept transfer rights.

NA Vice Chairman Uong Chu Luu said he disagreed with a regulation that would automatically give exploitation privileges to individuals and organisations that were licensed to explore for minerals.

He said this was an unfair regulation for other individuals and organisations, and suggested that rights for exploiting minerals be auctioned.

However, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Pham Khoi Nguyen said if there were separate auctions for minerals exploration and exploitation, there would be a lack of companies participating in the activities.

To ensure contributions to the State budget from minerals activities, committee members agreed that companies and individuals who were licensed to explore minerals must deposit a specific amount of money before beginning operations.

The same day, NASC members heard a report on the settlement of voter petitions which was sent to the 7th session of the 12th National Assembly.

Head of the NA Ombudsman Committee Tran The Vuong said the NA received 1,643 petitions. “Nearly 350 petitions have been settled by local administrations and the remainder have been sent to relevant authorities for consideration and responses,” Vuong said.

Members attributed the tardiness in settling voter complaints to shortcomings in issuing legal documents. They asked ministries and agencies to review documents guiding the implementation of the Law on Electricity, Law on Health Insurance and Price Ordinance to amend and supplement their inappropriate clauses.

Source: VNS