Article 12 The statistical agencies under the people's governments at various levels and those in the various competent departments shall strictly examine the statistical investigation plans and their investigation programs sent in for examination as to their necessity， feasibility and scientific reliability. Those which do not conform to the provisions of these Rules shall be returned for alterations or rejected. In drafting and examining statistical investigation programs， the following principles shall be adhered to：

（1） if the relevant data can be obtained from the statistical investigations which have been approved or conducted， no such investigations shall be repeated；

（2） comprehensive statistical investigation forms shall not be printed and issued if the objectives can be achieved through sample， key and typical case investigations or administrative registration. Regular statistics shall not be conducted if a single investigation can satisfy the needs. If yearly statistics suffices the needs， no quarterly statistics shall be conducted； quarterly one suffices， no monthly one shall be done. Progress statistics more frequent than monthly one must be strictly restrained；

（3） before a new statistical investigation program is made public， tests shall be conducted at selected places， or the opinions of the relevant localities， departments and grassroots units be heard， and feasibility study be made， so as to ensure that the program is practicable and the best possible investigation result receives due attention；

（4） the personnel and funds needed for the statistical investigations shall be ensured.

Article 13 For a statistical investigation program that has been approved according to the prescribed procedures， the designation of the organ which has devised the investigation form， serial number of the form， the designation of the organ to which the program has been sent for approval or for the record and the serial number of approval shall all be indicated in the upper right-hand corner of the investigation form. The units and individuals to be investigated shall fill out the forms accurately， promptly and gratuitously.

Statistical investigation forms （including investigation outlines with collecting statistical data as the main objective without the above- mentioned indicators shall be illegal forms， which all units and individuals have the right to refuse to fill out and which the statistical agencies under the people's governments at various levels are empowered to nullify.

Article 14 Without consent of the organ which has drawn up the statistical investigation program， no unit or individual shall revise the index implications， scope of investigation， methods of calculation， classified table of contents， format of the form， statistical codes， etc. As prescribed in the statistical investigation program.