It had been a major step toward the target of publicising administrative procedures and had given the public the tools to supervise State administrative agencies, he said.

The deputy was among a majority of parliamentarians who agreed that it had been correct to assign the National Assembly the task of overseeing the reform of administrative procedures for land, housing, tax and customs.

Their opinions were part of an appraisal of Government's achievements in administrative reform as it has affected ordinary people and enterprises during the past ten years, especially since the launch of Project 30.

Their debate, which assessed a Standing Committee report, was televised nationally.

The report says that for the first time Viet Nam has a National Database for Administrative Procedures in State Management for the centre; provinces, districts and communes.

The Government has continuously asked the assembly to revise and promulgate numerous laws and decrees and to implement specific solutions to accelerate administrative reform, it says.

It also shows that most ministries, sectors and localities have met their requirement to simplify 30 per cent of administrative procedures.

Among 5,421 procedures reviewed, 480 were reduced to 192 with 4,416 revised and amended.

In addition, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has required that the simplification process reduce administrative costs for individuals and enterprises by a yearly 30 per cent.

Deputy Huynh Nghia, Da Nang, said the database and the introduction of online services was the most noticeable success.

More than 5,700 administrative procedures are now available to the public online.

"It's calculated that administrative procedure simplification saves us about VND7,900 billion (US$395 million) each year," the deputy said.

"The figure is very impressive and is the result of the State's attempts to simplify administrative procedures."

Deputy Nguyen Van Quynh, northern Quang Ninh Province, and Pham Manh Hung, northern Thai Nguyen Province, together with deputy Huynh Van Tiep, Can Tho, the Mekong Delta, said the achievements in administrative-procedure reform were reflected in socio-economic development and the improved investment environment.

Deputy Hung reported that almost 10,000 foreign-invested projects with a total investment capital of US$155 billion have been launched since 2001.

The number of foreign companies operating in Viet Nam had increased from 14,440 before 2001 to almost 62,800 in 2010.

The improved administrative procedures had also made transactions between the people and enterprises with State agencies easier.

"The simplified and standardised procedures help ordinary people and enterprises save about VND5,700 billion ($ 285 million) each year," he said.

Some deputies hailed the World Bank and International Finance Corporation's report Doing Business 2011 as a vivid example of how administrative reform had progressed.

The report, published last Thursday, lists Viet Nam among the world's 10 most improved economies.

"The report is the most specific and subjective proof of the success of the Government's administrative reform of the past ten years," said Deputy Pham Thi Hai, southern Dong Nai Province.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Pham Khoi Nguyen said simplification of administrative procedures had initially helped reduce more than 50 per cent of implementation costs.

"The granting of land for an investment project used to require 11 steps and take between 4-6 years," the minister said.

"The process was now reduced by one-third and in some places, like Ha Noi, HMC City and Da Nang, it took only one year."

"The granting of a land-use certificate takes only 30 days instead of 55 days as regulated."

Shortcomings

Many deputies complained that numerous administrative procedures were duplicated, took too long and lacked transparency, despite the success.

Deputy Nguyen Ngoc Minh, central Ninh Thuan Province and deputy Cao Si Kiem, northern Thai Binh Province, said the bureaucratic practices of administrative staff remained a barrier to business.

Deputy Pham Thi Hai said many individuals and enterprises were afraid to ask for land-use certificates; or to borrow money or seek business licences.

"Administrative procedures remain time-consuming," she said.

This was reason many individuals and enterprises were willing to pay to get the paper work done quickly.

"It's like a procedure within the administrative procedures."

Deputies Tran Thi Loc, northern Bac Kan Province, and Huynh Nghia, Da Nang, said people were the most important to the success of the administrative reform and should be given more attention.

Both complained the administrative staff could not live from their salaries and this was among the reasons for their seeking ways to make money illegally.

Deputy Mai Thi Anh Tuyet, southern An Giang Province, said salaries and training for administrative staff should be included in administrative reform.

e-Government

The application of information technology was the key to successful State management, advised deputy Le Doan Hop, northern Hung Yen Province.

"It's the fastest way to implement administrative procedures and most effective way to minimise negatives," he said.

"The deputy said the existing online services for individuals and enterprises were limited because online application facilities were limited as were the IT qualification of numerous officials.

Deputy Tran Thi Quoc Khanh, Ha Noi, was the single member to suggest the VAT, or Value Added Tax, should be paid quarterly instead of monthly as now.

The deputy said export-import tariffs must be made more transparent because existing shortcomings loaded enterprises with unexpected costs. - VNS