[Federal Register Volume 61, Number 229 (Tuesday, November 26, 1996)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60119-60120]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 96-30185]


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DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Bureau of Labor Statistics


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Department of Labor, as part of its continuing effort to 
reduce paperwork and respondent burden, conducts a pre-clearance 
consultation program to provide the general public and Federal agencies 
with an opportunity to comment on proposed and/or continuing 
collections of information in accordance with the Paperwork Reduction 
Act of 1995 (PRA95) [44 U.S.C. 3506(c)(2)(A)]. This program helps to 
ensure that requested data can be provided in the desired format, 
reporting burden (time and financial resources) is minimized, 
collection instruments are clearly understood, and the impact of 
collection requirements on respondents can be properly assessed. 
Currently, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is soliciting comments 
concerning the proposed revision of the ``The Consumer Expenditure 
quarterly Interview and Diary Surveys.''
    A copy of the proposed information collection request (ICR) can be 
obtained by contacting the individual listed below in the addressee 
section of this Notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
addressee section below on or before January 27, 1997. BLS is 
particularly interested in comments which help the agency to:
     Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
     Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the 
burden of the proposed collection of information, including the 
validity of the methodology and assumptions used;
     Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
     Minimize the burden of the collection of information on 
those who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate 
automated, electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection 
techniques or other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting 
electronic submissions of responses.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Karin G. Kurz, BLS Clearance Officer, 
Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Room 3255, 
2 Massachusetts Avenue N.E., Washington, D.C. 20212. Ms. Kurz can be 
reached on 202-606-7628 (this is not a toll free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Background: The Consumer Expenditure surveys 
collect data on consumer expenditures, demographic information, and 
related data needed by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and other public 
and private data users. The continuing surveys provide a constant 
measurement of changes in consumer expenditure patterns for economic 
analysis and to obtain data for future CPI revisions.
    The CE Survey has been an ongoing survey since 1979.
    The data from the Consumer Expenditure Surveys is used to (1) 
provide data required for the CPI revision; (2) provide a continuous 
flow of data on income and expenditure patterns for use in economic 
analysis and policy formulation; and (3) provide a flexible consumer 
survey vehicle that is available for use by other Federal Government 
agencies. Public and private users of price statistics, including 
Congress and the economic policy making agencies of the executive 
branch, rely on data collected in the CPI in their day-to-day 
activities. Hence, data users and policy makers widely accept the need 
to improve the process used for revising the CIP. If the CE were not 
conducted on a continuing basis, current information necessary for more 
timely as well as more accurate updating of the CPI would not be 
available. In addition, data would not be available to respond to the 
continuing demand--from the public and private sectors--for current 
information on consumer spending.
    In the Quarterly Interview Survey, each consumer unit (CU) in the 
sample

[[Page 60120]]

is interviewed every three months over five calendar quarters. The 
sample for each quarter is divided into three panels, with CU's being 
interviewed every three months in the same panel of every quarter. The 
Quarterly Interview Survey is designed to collect data on the types of 
expenditures which respondents can be expected to recall for a period 
of three months or longer. In general the expenses reported in the 
Interview Survey are either relatively large, such as property, 
automobiles, or major appliances, or are expenses which occur on a 
fairly regular basis, such as rent, utility bills, or insurance 
premiums.
    The Diary (or recordkeeping) Survey is completed at home by the 
respondent family for two consecutive one-week periods. The primary 
objective of the Diary Survey is to obtain expenditure data on small, 
frequently purchased items which normally are difficult to recall over 
longer periods of time.
    Current Actions: The CE survey will introduce revisions to the 
Diary Survey form in January of 1998. The Diary Survey, which is 
divided into five recording parts (Food Away from Home, Food for Home 
Consumption, Food and Beverages Purchased as Gifts, Clothing, Shoes and 
Jewelry, and All Other Purchases and Expenses), will introduce changes 
to the classification categories in the Food Away from Home part of the 
diary in order to meet the requirements of the new CPI item structure 
for Food Away from Home. Changes are also being made to the 
classification categories in the Clothing portion of the Diary to 
facilitate better reporting of clothing-related expenditures. These 
changes are being made to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of 
the data being collected in the Diary Survey.
    The CE surveys will incorporate revisions into the Quarterly 
Interview Survey questionnaire in April of 1998. The changes being made 
to the Quarterly survey instrument are being made in an effort to 
reduce burden on CE respondents, where possible, and to enhance the 
quality and clarity of information being collected.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently-approved collection.
    Agency: Bureau of Labor Statistics.
    Title: Consumer Expenditure Surveys.
    OMB Number: 1220-0050.
    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    Total Respondents: 11,927.
    Frequency: Quarterly Interview Survey respondents are interviewed 
quarterly for five consecutive quarters (four times in any one year). 
Diary Survey respondents complete two consecutive weekly reports.
    Total Responses: 44,552.
    Average Time Per Response: 87.7 minutes.
    Estimated Total Burden Hours: 65,107 hours.
    Total Burden Cost (capital/startup): $0.
    Total Burden Cost (Operating/maintenance): $0.
    Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized 
and/or included in the request for Office of Management and Budget 
approval of the information collection requests; they also will become 
a matter of public record.

    Signed at Washington, D.C., this 20th day of November, 1996.
W. Stuart Rust, Jr.,
Acting Chief, Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor 
Statistics.
[FR Doc. 96-30185 Filed 11-25-96; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-24-M