Proposed Collection; Comment Request

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

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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]

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