Balance of Labour Resources, a system of indicators numerically characterising labour resources and their use; a component of the balance of the national economy. The balance of labour resources is worked out as part of the five-year plan and is broken down by year for the entire country and also for individual regions. The balance is composed of two parts. The first shows existing labour resources, which include the able-bodied population of working age (men between 16 and 59, and women between 16 and 54 years old, excluding groups I and II of disabled who do not work and those of working age who receive an old-age pension on preferential terms and do not work either), and those over retirement age or juveniles under 16 who work. The second part shows the distribution of labour resources according to three criteria: type of employment, sphere and branch of the economy, and social group. Distribution of labour resources by type of employment—in the state economy, in study while discontinuing to work, in the household, and individual subsidiary economy—reflects the country’s social and economic transformations. As socialist society matures, the number of people employed in the state economy and those engaged in study while discontinuing work increases. In 1979 there were 135 million people employed in the state economy of the USSR. In 1960, 78 per cent of the USSR’s labour resources were engaged in the state economy or in study while discontinuing work; in 1980 the comparative figure was over 90 per cent. The distribution of labour resources between production and non-production spheres, ’and in the various branches, are important economic dimensions. Higher labour productivity results in a marked increase in the number of workers employed in the nonproduction sphere. The development of the productive forces in agriculture and the growing socialisation level of collective farm-and-cooperative property are 21 reflected by changes in the composition of labour resources by social group, in an increase in the numbers and proportion of workers and employees and a decline in the number of collective farmers. The balance of labour resources makes it possible to define the scale of labour resources and to ensure their systematic distribution by sphere of activity and region; and it enables the training of skilled cadres in accordance with economic growth requirements and more efficient use of labour resources.