Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request, 35314-35315 [E5-3107]

Download as PDF 35314 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 116 / Friday, June 17, 2005 / Notices Dated: June 6, 2005. J. Lynn Taylor, Assistant Secretary. [FR Doc. E5–3105 Filed 6–16–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8010–01–P SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request Upon written request, copies available from: Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of Filings and Information Services, Washington, DC 20549. Extension: Rule 17d–1, SEC File No. 270–505, OMB Control No. 3235–0562. 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’’) has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (‘‘OMB’’) a request for extension of the previously approved collection of information discussed below. Section 17(d) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the ‘‘Act’’) prohibits first- and second-tier affiliates of a fund, the fund’s principal underwriters, and affiliated persons of the fund’s principal underwriters, acting as principal, to effect any transaction in which the fund or a company controlled by the fund is a joint or a joint and several participant in contravention of the Commission’s rules. Rule 17d–1 (‘‘Applications regarding joint enterprises or arrangements and certain profit-sharing plans’’ [17 CFR 270.17d– 1]) permits a fund to enter into a joint arrangement with a portfolio affiliate (an issuer of which a fund owns a position in excess of five percent of the voting securities), or an affiliated person of a portfolio affiliate, as long as certain other affiliated persons of the fund (e.g., the fund’s adviser, persons controlling the fund, and persons under common control with the fund) are not parties to the transaction and do not have a financial interest in a party to the transaction. Rule 17d–1 provides that, in addition to the interests identified in the rule not to be ‘‘financial interests,’’ the term ‘‘financial interest’’ also does not include any interest that the fund’s board of directors (including a majority of the directors who are not interested persons of the fund) finds to be not material. The rule requires that the minutes of the board’s meeting record the basis for the board’s finding. The information collection requirements in rule 17d–1 are intended VerDate jul<14>2003 17:59 Jun 16, 2005 Jkt 205001 to ensure that Commission staff can review, in the course of its compliance and examination functions, the basis for a board of director’s finding that the financial interest of a prohibited participant in a party to a transaction with a portfolio affiliate is not material. Based on analysis of past filings, the Commission’s staff estimates that 148 funds are affiliated persons of 668 issuers as a result of the fund’s ownership or control of the issuer’s voting securities, and that there are approximately 1,000 such affiliate relationships. Staff discussions with mutual fund representatives have suggested that no funds are currently relying on rule 17d–1 exemptions. We do not know definitively the reasons for this change in transactional behavior, but differing market conditions from year to year may offer some explanation for the current lack of fund interest in the exemptions under rule 17d–1. Accordingly, we estimate that annually there will be no joint transactions under rule 17d–1 that will result in a collection of information. The Commission requests authorization to maintain an inventory of one burden hour to ease future renewals of rule 17d1 collection of information analysis should reliance on the rule increase in the coming years. The estimate of average burden hours is made solely for the purposes of the Paperwork Reduction Act. The estimate is not derived from a comprehensive or even a representative survey or study of the costs of Commission rules. Complying with this collection of information requirement is necessary to obtain the benefit of relying on rule 17d–1. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. General comments regarding the above information should be directed to the following persons: (i) Desk Officer for the Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10102, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503 or email to: David_Rostker@omb.eop.gov; and (ii) R. Corey Booth, Director/Chief Information Officer, Office of Information Technology, Securities and Exchange Commission, 450 Fifth Street, NW., Washington, DC 20549. Comments must be submitted to OMB within 30 days of this notice. PO 00000 Frm 00094 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 Dated: June 6, 2005. J. Lynn Taylor, Assistant Secretary. [FR Doc. E5–3106 Filed 6–16–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8010–01–P SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request Upon written request, copies available from: Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of Filings and Information Services, Washington, DC 20549. Extension: Rule 17Ac3–1(a), SEC File No. 270–96, OMB Control No. 3235–0151. Form TA– W, SEC File No. 270–96, OMB Control No. 3235–0151. 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’’) has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget requests for approval of extension on the following rule and form: Rule 17Ac3–1(a) and Form TA–W. Subsection (c)(4)(B) of Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (‘‘Exchange Act’’) authorizes transfer agents registered with an appropriate regulatory agency (‘‘ARA’’) to withdraw from registration by filing with the ARA a written notice of withdrawal and by agreeing to such terms and conditions as the ARA deems necessary or appropriate in the public interest, for the protection of investors, or in the furtherance of the purposes of Section 17A. In order to implement Section 17A(c)(4)(B) of the Exchange Act the Commission, on September 1, 1977, promulgated Rule 17Ac3–1(a) and accompanying Form TA–W. Rule 17Ac3–1(a) provides that notice of withdrawal of registration as a transfer agent with the Commission shall be filed on Form TA–W. Form TA–W requires the withdrawing transfer agent to provide the Commission with certain information, including: (1) The locations where transfer agent activities are or were performed; (2) the reasons for ceasing the performance of such activities; (3) disclosure of unsatisfied judgments or liens; and (4) information regarding successor transfer agents. The Commission uses the information disclosed on Form TA–W to determine whether the registered transfer agent applying for withdrawal from registration as a transfer agent should be allowed to deregister and, if so, whether E:\FR\FM\17JNN1.SGM 17JNN1 Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 116 / Friday, June 17, 2005 / Notices the Commission should attach to the granting of the application any terms or conditions necessary or appropriate in the public interest, for the protection of investors, or in furtherance of the purposes of Section 17A of the Exchange Act. Without Rule 17Ac3–1(a) and Form TA–W, transfer agents registered with the Commission would not have a means for voluntary deregistration when necessary or appropriate to do so. Respondents file approximately 50 TA–Ws with the Commission annually. A Form TA–W filing occurs only once, when a transfer agent is seeing deregistration. Since the form is simple and straightforward, the Commission estimates that a transfer agent need spend no more than 30 minutes to complete a Form TA–W. Therefore, the total average annual burden to covered entities is approximately 25 hours of preparation and maintenance time. In view of the ready availability of the information requested by TA–W, its short and simple presentation, and the Commission’s experience with the form, we estimate that approximately 30 minutes is required to complete Form TA–W, including clerical time. The Commission estimates a cost of approximately $35 for each 30 minutes. Therefore, the total average annual cost burden is approximately $1,750. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. Written comments regarding the above information should be directed to the following persons: (i) Desk Officer for the Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, Room 10102, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503 or by sending an e-mail to: David_Rostker@omb.eop.gov; and (ii) R. Corey Booth, Director/Chief Information Officer, Office of Information Technology, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, NE., Washington, DC 20549. Comments must be submitted to OMB within 30 days of this notice. Dated: June 7, 2005. J. Lynn Taylor, Assistant Secretary. [FR Doc. E5–3107 Filed 6–16–05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 8010–01–P VerDate jul<14>2003 17:59 Jun 16, 2005 Jkt 205001 SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request Upon written request, copies available from: Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of Filings and Information Services, Washington, DC 20549. Extension: Rule 17a–13, SEC File No. 270–27, OMB Control No. 3235–0035. 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’’) has submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (‘‘OMB’’) a request for the extension of the previously approved collection of information on the following rule: 17 CFR 240.17a–13 Quarterly Security Counts to be Made by Certain Exchange Members, Brokers, and Dealers. Rule 17a–13(b) generally requires that at least once each calendar quarter, all registered brokers and dealers physically examine and count all securities held and account for all other securities not in their possession, but subject to the broker-dealer’s control or direction. Any discrepancies between the broker-dealer’s securities count and the firm’s records must be noted and, within seven days, the unaccounted for difference must be recorded in the firm’s records. Rule 17a–13(c) provides that under specified conditions, the securities counts, examination and verification of the broker-dealer’s entire list of securities may be conducted on a cyclical basis rather than on a certain date. Although Rule 17a–13 does not require filing a report with the Commission, the discrepancies must be reported on Form X–17a–5 as required by Rule 17a–5. Rule 17a–13 exempts broker-dealers that limit their business to the sale and redemption of securities of registered investment companies and interests or participation in an insurance company separate account and those who solicit accounts for federally insured savings and loan associations, provided that such persons promptly transmit all funds and securities and hold no customer funds and securities. The information obtained from Rule 17a–13 is used as an inventory control device to monitor a broker-dealer’s ability to account for all securities held, in transfer, in transit, pledged, loaned, borrowed, deposited or otherwise subject to the firm’s control or direction. Discrepancies between the securities counts and the broker-dealer’s records PO 00000 Frm 00095 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 35315 alert the Commission and the Self Regulatory Organizations (‘‘SROs’’) to those firms having problems in their back offices. Currently, there are approximately 5,907 respondents that must comply with Rule 17a–13. However, given the variability in their businesses, it is difficult to quantify how many hours per year each respondent spends on the rule. As noted, the rule requires a respondent to account for all securities in its possession. Many respondents hold few, if any, securities; while others hold large quantities. Therefore, the time burden of complying with the rule will depend on respondent-specific factors, including size, number of customers, and proprietary trading activity. The staff estimates that the average time spent per respondent on the rule is 100 hours per year. This estimate takes into account the fact that more than half the 5,907 respondents— according to financial reports filed with the SEC—may spend little or no time in complying with the rule, given that they do not do a public securities business or do not hold inventories of securities. For these reasons, the staff estimates that the total compliance burden per year is 590,700 hours (5,907 respondents x 100 hours/respondent). It should be noted that most brokerdealers would engage in the activities required by Rule 17a–13 even if they were not required to do so. Security counts under Rule 17a–13 are mandatory for broker-dealers. If a broker-dealer has security discrepancies that must be recorded in its records, such records must be preserved for a period of no less than three years pursuant to Rule 17a–4(b)(1). Rule 17a– 13 does not assure confidentiality for security discrepancy records and reports on Form X–17a–5.1 Please note that an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid control number. Written comments regarding the above information should be directed to the following persons: (i) Desk Officer for the Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of Information and 1 The records required by Rule 17a–13 are available only to the examination of the Commission staff, state securities authorities and the SROs. Subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, 5 U.S.C. 522, and the Commission’s rules thereunder (17 CFR 200.80(b)(4)(iii)), the Commission does not generally publish or make available information contained in any reports, summaries, analyses, letters, or memoranda arising out of, in anticipation of, or in connection with an examination or inspection of the books and records of any person or any other investigation. E:\FR\FM\17JNN1.SGM 17JNN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 116 (Friday, June 17, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Pages 35314-35315]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E5-3107]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION


Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request

Upon written request, copies available from: Securities and Exchange 
Commission, Office of Filings and Information Services, Washington, DC 
20549.

Extension:
    Rule 17Ac3-1(a), SEC File No. 270-96, OMB Control No. 3235-0151. 
Form TA-W, SEC File No. 270-96, OMB Control No. 3235-0151.

    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'') has submitted to the Office of Management 
and Budget requests for approval of extension on the following rule and 
form: Rule 17Ac3-1(a) and Form TA-W.
    Subsection (c)(4)(B) of Section 17A of the Securities Exchange Act 
of 1934 (``Exchange Act'') authorizes transfer agents registered with 
an appropriate regulatory agency (``ARA'') to withdraw from 
registration by filing with the ARA a written notice of withdrawal and 
by agreeing to such terms and conditions as the ARA deems necessary or 
appropriate in the public interest, for the protection of investors, or 
in the furtherance of the purposes of Section 17A.
    In order to implement Section 17A(c)(4)(B) of the Exchange Act the 
Commission, on September 1, 1977, promulgated Rule 17Ac3-1(a) and 
accompanying Form TA-W. Rule 17Ac3-1(a) provides that notice of 
withdrawal of registration as a transfer agent with the Commission 
shall be filed on Form TA-W. Form TA-W requires the withdrawing 
transfer agent to provide the Commission with certain information, 
including: (1) The locations where transfer agent activities are or 
were performed; (2) the reasons for ceasing the performance of such 
activities; (3) disclosure of unsatisfied judgments or liens; and (4) 
information regarding successor transfer agents.
    The Commission uses the information disclosed on Form TA-W to 
determine whether the registered transfer agent applying for withdrawal 
from registration as a transfer agent should be allowed to deregister 
and, if so, whether

[[Page 35315]]

the Commission should attach to the granting of the application any 
terms or conditions necessary or appropriate in the public interest, 
for the protection of investors, or in furtherance of the purposes of 
Section 17A of the Exchange Act. Without Rule 17Ac3-1(a) and Form TA-W, 
transfer agents registered with the Commission would not have a means 
for voluntary deregistration when necessary or appropriate to do so.
    Respondents file approximately 50 TA-Ws with the Commission 
annually. A Form TA-W filing occurs only once, when a transfer agent is 
seeing deregistration. Since the form is simple and straightforward, 
the Commission estimates that a transfer agent need spend no more than 
30 minutes to complete a Form TA-W. Therefore, the total average annual 
burden to covered entities is approximately 25 hours of preparation and 
maintenance time.
    In view of the ready availability of the information requested by 
TA-W, its short and simple presentation, and the Commission's 
experience with the form, we estimate that approximately 30 minutes is 
required to complete Form TA-W, including clerical time. The Commission 
estimates a cost of approximately $35 for each 30 minutes. Therefore, 
the total average annual cost burden is approximately $1,750.
    An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required 
to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a 
currently valid control number. Written comments regarding the above 
information should be directed to the following persons: (i) Desk 
Officer for the Securities and Exchange Commission, Office of 
Information and Regulatory Affairs, Office of Management and Budget, 
Room 10102, New Executive Office Building, Washington, DC 20503 or by 
sending an e-mail to: David--Rostker@omb.eop.gov; and (ii) R. Corey 
Booth, Director/Chief Information Officer, Office of Information 
Technology, Securities and Exchange Commission, 100 F Street, NE., 
Washington, DC 20549. Comments must be submitted to OMB within 30 days 
of this notice.

    Dated: June 7, 2005.
J. Lynn Taylor,
Assistant Secretary.
[FR Doc. E5-3107 Filed 6-16-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8010-01-P
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