[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 183 (Thursday, September 20, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 58423-58424]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-23233]


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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

[Extension: Rule 17a-25; OMB Control No. 3235-0540, SEC File No. 270-
482]


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Upon Written Request Copies Available From: Securities and Exchange 
Commission, Office of Investor Education and Advocacy, Washington, DC 
20549-0213.

    Notice is hereby given that pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act 
of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et. seq.), the Securities and Exchange 
Commission (``Commission'') is soliciting comments on the existing 
collection of information provided for in the following rule: Rule 17a-
25 (17 CFR 204.17a-25) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 
U.S.C. 78a et seq.) (``Exchange Act'').
    Paragraph (a)(1) of Rule 17a-25 requires registered broker-dealers 
to electronically submit securities transaction information, including 
identifiers for prime brokerage arrangements, average price accounts, 
and depository institutions, in a standardized format when requested by 
the Commission staff. In addition, paragraph (a)(3)(c) of Rule 17a-25 
requires broker-dealers to submit, and keep current, contact person 
information for electronic blue sheets (``EBS'') requests. The 
Commission uses the information for enforcement inquiries or 
investigations and trading reconstructions, as well as for inspections 
and examinations.
    The Commission estimates that it sends approximately 7,169 
electronic blue sheet requests per year to clearing broker-dealers, who 
in turn submit an average 87,454 responses.\1\ It is

[[Page 58424]]

estimated that each broker-dealer who responds electronically will take 
8 minutes, and each broker-dealer who responds manually will take 1\1/
2\ hours to prepare and submit the securities trading data requested by 
the Commission. The annual aggregate hour burden for electronic and 
manual response firms is estimated to be 11,785 (87,454 x 8 / 60 = 
11,600 hours) + (80 x 1.5 = 120 hours), respectively.\2\ In addition, 
the Commission estimates that it will request 500 broker-dealers to 
supply the contact information identified in Rule 17a-25(c) and 
estimates the total aggregate burden hours to be 125. Thus, the annual 
aggregate burden for all respondents to the collection of information 
requirements of Rule 17a-25 is estimated at 11,785 hours (11,660 + 
125).
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    \1\ A single EBS request has a unique number assigned to each 
request (e.g. ``0900001''). However, the number of broker-dealer 
responses generated from one EBS request can range from one to 
several thousand. EBS requests are sent directly to clearing firms, 
as the clearing firm is the repository for trading data for 
securities transactions information provided by itself and 
correspondent firms. Clearing brokers respond for themselves and 
other firms they clear for.
    \2\ Few of respondents submit manual EBS responses. The small 
percentage of respondents that submit manual responses do so by 
hand, via email, spreadsheet, disk, or other electronic media. Thus, 
the number of manual submissions (80) has minimal effect on the 
total annual burden hours.
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    Written comments are invited on: (a) Whether the proposed 
collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of 
the functions of the agency, including whether the information shall 
have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency's estimate of 
the burden of the proposed collection of information; (c) ways to 
enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be 
collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden of the collection of 
information on respondents, including through the use of automated 
collection techniques or other forms of information technology. 
Consideration will be given to comments and suggestions submitted in 
writing within 60 days of this publication.
    Please direct your written comments to Thomas Bayer, Director/Chief 
Information Office, Securities and Exchange Commission, C/O Remi 
Pavlik-Simon, 6432 General Green Way, Alexandria, Virginia 22312 or 
send an email to: [email protected].

    Dated: September 17, 2012.
Kevin M. O'Neill,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2012-23233 Filed 9-19-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8011-01-P