ABSTRACT
In Britain over the past two decades popular usage has ascribed the term planning to two particular forms of intervention in the economic process, which have been distinguished from the general run of economic policy. The first was the general control and allocation of resources in the years of great shortages and stringent economic situation in late 1940s. The second, and very different, use of the word has been to describe the initiatives taken in the early 1960s to secure a faster rate of growth of national output. In his statement announcing the intention to set up the National Economic Development Council, the Chancellor explained that he wanted something more purposeful than the existing advice and comment from bodies such as the Economic Planning Board and the National Production Advisory Council on Industry. Following its decision to establish the Department of Economic Affairs, the Government announced that the Department was to start drawing up the new programme for economic growth.
