On the morning of 12 November 2026 the National Assembly questioned Finance Minister Ngo Van Tuan on taxes, public debt, public investment and housing. Fifty-six deputies registered to ask questions; about half asked them in person and 29 were moved to written answers.
National housing fund: VND5,000 billion ready
The minister said the Ministry of Finance, working with the Ministry of Construction, has prepared VND5,000 billion in charter capital for a national housing fund, allocated within the 2026–2030 medium-term public investment plan; after three years of operation the capital could rise to VND10,000 billion. The ministry will issue guidance on the fund's financial mechanism once it is set up. "Only with a stable home can people thrive at work," he said, citing a Vietnamese proverb. According to Bnews, the fund's legal basis is Resolution 201/2025/QH15 and Decree 302/2025/ND-CP, with a focus on social housing.
Cleaning up tax data, tackling invoice trading
- Since the start of the year the tax sector has cleaned about 777,000 tax codes; about 2.5 million codes remain classed as inactive or not operating at their registered address. The work must be finished before an OECD review expected in the second quarter of 2028.
- The ministry will link its data with VNeID and police records to reduce mismatches; the minister took responsibility for incorrect notices sent to taxpayers.
- Since 2022 the tax sector has referred nearly 600 cases showing signs of tax evasion, fraud or invoice trading to investigating agencies, and is working with cybersecurity police to verify company registrants.
Tax arrears, public debt and businesses
Total tax arrears stand at 11%, more than VND267,000 billion, over half of it land-use fees; the target is to bring total arrears below 8%. Public debt is just over 33% of GDP, well below the 60% ceiling. The minister said now is not the right time to issue new international bonds. In nine months about 222,000 businesses were newly established or resumed operations, against about 172,000 that withdrew from the market; registered capital rose 38%.
In the same morning session, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Van Thang said the Government will pilot auctions and tenders for toll-collection rights on some projects, especially certain sections of the North–South expressway.
Key takeaways
- VND5,000 billion in charter capital for a national housing fund is ready and could rise to VND10,000 billion after three years.
- About 777,000 tax codes have been cleaned; nearly 600 tax and invoice fraud cases have been referred to investigators.
- Public debt is just over 33% of GDP, leaving ample room below the 60% ceiling.