Abu Dhabi: Members of the Federal National Council on Tuesday showed determination to find a way to force government bodies to adopt their recommendations.

The representatives repeatedly complained many of their recommendations approved by the Cabinet were not being implemented.

Though the Cabinet approved scores of proposed changes to vital services and areas of government work, there is no way the House can force government bodies to adopt these changes, Dr Abdul Rahim Al Shaheen, a member from Ras Al Khaimah, said.

Dr Al Shaheen demanded at the opening of the second session of the 15th legislative chapter of the FNC that a system be set up to follow up execution of the House’s recommendations.

He stressed the need for coordination between the Government and the House to enforce the implementation of recommendations passed by the Cabinet.

Asking what was the difference between an approved recommendation and a rejected recommendation, Al Shaheen said a mechanism must be set up so that members of the House are assured the Government has implemented these recommendations

Pressing for more effective use of the FNC’s existing formal authority, Ahmad Mohammad Al Shamsi, a member from Ajman, said the topic of the House’s recommendations be taken up with the Government in the next session scheduled for November 20.

However, the Council’s Speaker responded that the matter will be discussed with committees before it is debated by the members.

The FNC’s proposals are non-binding, but ought in theory to be implemented once they are approved by the Cabinet. Members complain that there is no way for them to ensure proposals are actually enacted.

Dr Anwar Mohammad Gargash, Minister of State For FNC Affairs, has invited the House to come up with a working mechanism allowing it to better oversee execution of recommendations by relevant ministries and government departments.

The House will shortly debate a draft law which makes full-time education compulsory for all children aged between six and 18.

In July, the Cabinet approved the new law which stipulates that education is the right of every Emirati citizen that will be provided and paid for by the government in public schools and institutions.

The proposed law states that the guardian of the child will be responsible for ensuring that the child completes his or her education as well as following up on the child’s attendance and commitment to school hours set by the Ministry of Education.

A fine of up to Dh50,000 will be handed to a guardian of the child who fails to abide by the law. The case can also be referred to court if the offence is repeated.

The House will also discuss a draft law regarding genetic resources for food and agriculture, which aims to preserve the stock of agricultural genetic resources, developing them, and the fair and equal sharing of resulting benefits.

The new law will also aim to store and document plant genetic resources of food and agriculture in the UAE to ensure that they are used in a sustainable manner in order to develop the agricultural sector and achieve food security.

The law will forbid exporting plant genetic resources outside the UAE without a valid contract. Individuals extracting these genetic resources are also obliged to acquire the necessary permits and providing all necessary forms and data to the Ministry of Environment and Water. The law stipulates that the ministry has the right to equally share the benefits resulting from these gathered resources.