Hospital VIP wards should be shut down to free up staff and resources, says CPPCC member Feng Shiliang. Mr Feng, a hospital chief in Liaoning, said hospitals should be places to save people's lives, not luxury hotels. He said the decor and equipment in some wards were on a par with that found in five-star hotels, with patients charged up to 10,000 yuan (HK$11,355) a day, the Beijing Times reports.

Call for 'Mainland Mother's Day'

The mainland should establish its own Mother's Day, preferably on the same day in the lunar calendar that Mencius' mother gave birth to her philosopher son, CPPCC delegate Ling Zi suggested. Ms Ling, the daughter of late head of state Ye Jianying, said it was a pity China did not have its own Mother's Day, the Information Times reports.

Push for gambling business

Fujian CPPCC delegate Lin Jialai has resurrected his perennial proposal that the central government open up the gambling business on the mainland and pump income from the sector into the rural community and disadvantaged groups, the China Youth Daily reports. Mr Lin, who is deputy administrator of the National Poverty Alleviation and Development Office, said now was the right time for the idea.

Delegates want to keep laptops

A number of CPPCC delegates have asked to take conference laptops home at the end of the session, saying it would be a waste to have them lying around in a warehouse until next year's meeting, the Southern Metropolis News reports. A laptop was given to each delegate to cut down on the cost and amount of printed paper reports.