[Federal Register Volume 84, Number 96 (Friday, May 17, 2019)]
[Notices]
[Page 22549]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2019-10234]
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SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
[SEC File No. 270-482, OMB Control No. 3235-0540]
Proposed Collection; Comment Request
Upon Written Request, Copies Available From: Securities and Exchange
Commission, Office of FOIA Services, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC
20549-2736
Extension:
Rule 17a-25
Notice is hereby given that pursuant to the Paperwork Reduction Act
of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) (``PRA''), the Securities and Exchange
Commission (``Commission'') is soliciting comments on the existing
collection of information provided for in Rule 17a-25 (17 CFR 204.17a-
25) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (15 U.S.C. 78a et seq.).
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 (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 13,493
electronic blue sheet requests per year to clearing broker-dealers that
in turn submit an average 528,551 responses.\1\ It is estimated that
each broker-dealer that responds electronically will take 8 minutes,
and each broker-dealer that 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 34,577 (253,705 x 8 / 60 = 33,827
hours) + (500 x 1.5 = 750 hours), respectively.\2\
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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 it and correspondent
firms. Clearing brokers respond for themselves and other firms they
clear for. There were 528,551 responses during the 25 month period
for an average of 21,142 responses per month or an average of
253,705 annual responses.
\2\ Few 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 (approximately 500 per year) 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.
An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required
to respond to, a collection of information under the PRA unless it
displays a currently valid OMB control number.
Please direct your written comments to: Charles Riddle, Acting
Director/Chief Information Office, Securities and Exchange Commission,
c/o Candace Kenner, 100 F Street NE, Washington, DC 20549 or send an
email to: [email protected].
Dated: May 13, 2019.
Eduardo A. Aleman,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2019-10234 Filed 5-16-19; 8:45 am]
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