ABSTRACT
In a planned economy, the collection of statistical economic data is closely connected with economic planning. All forms of planning theory, as well as improvements coming from practice, inevitably result in improvement of data, too. According to the bibliographical bulletin, 'New Soviet Economic Literature', the number of books and papers with the term 'planning' in the title increased from about 724 to 960 instances per year during the period 1970-1974. In a yearly periodical collection, The USSR and Soviet Republics, one can regularly find reports on the fulfilment of quarterly, semi-annual and annual plans. In fact, every issue of the magazine Vestnik statistiki presents developments of statistical data. Mr Frank Weiss, introducing Dr M. S. Palnicov's paper, found it a highly useful means to estimate the present and future demand for data in the USSR. He noted the steady improvement in the technical aspects of Soviet planning processes: data, methods and co-ordination between Gosplan and other ministries.
