[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 214 (Friday, November 5, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64594-64595]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-24732]


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

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Bureau of Labor Statistics


Proposed Collection; Comment Request

ACTION: Notice.

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

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 Consumer Expenditure Surveys: 
The Quarterly Interview and the Diary.'' A copy of the proposed 
information collection request (ICR) can be obtained by contacting the 
individual listed below in the ADDRESSES section of this notice.

DATES: Written comments must be submitted to the office listed in the 
ADDRESSES section below on or before January 4, 2005.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Amy A. Hobby, BLS Clearance Officer, 
Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Room 4080, 
2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE., Washington, DC 20212, telephone number 
202-691-7628. (This is not a toll free number.)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Amy A. Hobby, BLS Clearance Officer, 
telephone number 202-691-7628. (See ADDRESSES section.)

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Background

    The Consumer Expenditure (CE) 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 Surveys have been ongoing since 1979.
    The data from the CE Surveys are used (1) for CPI revisions, (2) to 
provide a continuous flow of data on income and expenditure patterns 
for use in economic analysis and policy formulation, and (3) to 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 policymaking agencies 
of the Executive branch, rely on data collected in the CPI in their 
day-to-day activities. Hence, data users and policymakers widely accept 
the need to improve the process used for revising the CPI. If the CE 
Surveys 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 is interviewed every three months over five calendar quarters. 
The sample for each quarter is divided into three panels, with CUs 
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 that 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.

II. Desired Focus of Comments

    The Bureau of Labor Statistics is particularly interested in 
comments that:
    <bullet> 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;
    <bullet> 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;
    <bullet> Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the 
information to be collected; and
    <bullet> 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.

[[Page 64595]]

III. Current Action

    The Consumer Expenditure Quarterly Interview Survey has recently 
undergone a thorough review since its conversion to a Computer Assisted 
Personal Interview (CAPI) collection instrument in April, 2003. The 
proposed changes from this review fall into two major categories: 
streamlining the current questions in several sections and updating 
several questions and sections to reflect the current marketplace.
    In the streamlining category, the BLS deleted or collapsed obsolete 
questions. The BLS collapsed all types of cooking stoves into one 
category, collapsed rarely used fuel types to one code in the utility 
section, collapsed all types of televisions into one code, and deleted 
questions related to options on vehicles that are now common. The BLS 
also eliminated redundant questions in the two insurance sections 
simplifying the collection of policies.
    To keep the survey current, question wording changed and some new 
codes were added. Examples of additions to existing questions include 
adding the word, ``minivan,'' to the vehicle screening questions; 
adding wording to questions and sections regarding online payments, 
automatic deductions, transit subsidies, and flexible spending 
accounts; and adding weight reduction centers to a membership question. 
Examples of adding additional codes include new categories for handheld 
personal music players, PDAs or personal digital assistants, video 
equipment and installation for vehicles, electronic toll passes like EZ 
Pass, Global Positioning System (GPS) services, and dating services. 
Similarly, a new section was added to capture different types of 
internet expenses such as membership to entertainment sites and the 
purchase of downloaded music or video files. These changes were made to 
keep the survey current with products available in the marketplace.
    A full list of the proposed changes to the Quarterly Interview 
Survey is available upon request. The Diary Survey will have no changes 
for 2005.
    Type of Review: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Agency: Bureau of Labor Statistics.
    Title: The Consumer Expenditure Surveys: The Quarterly Interview 
and the Diary.
    OMB Number: 1220-0050.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                      Estimated
                                                    Total                     Total       Average       total
                      Form                       respondents   Frequency    responses     time per      burden
                                                                                          response     (hours)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CE Quarterly Interview CAPI instrument.........       10,157            4       40,628           70       47,400
Quarterly Interview Reinterview CPI instrument.        3,283            1        3,283           15          821
CE Diary: Household Questionnaire CAPI                 7,530            3       22,590           25        9,413
 instrument....................................
CE Diary: CE-801, Record of Your Daily Expenses        7,530            2       15,060          105       26,355
CE Diary Reinterview CAPI instrument...........          954            1          954           15          239
                                                --------------
      Totals...................................       17,687  ...........       82,515  ...........       84,228
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please note: Reinterview respondents are a subset of the original number of respondents for each survey.
  Therefore, they are not counted again in the totals. Also, for the Diary, the ``Record of Your Daily
  Expenses'' respondents are the same as the ``Household Questionnaire'' respondents.

    Affected Public: Individuals or households.
    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 request; they also will become a 
matter of public record.

    Signed in Washington, DC, this 25th day of October, 2004.
Cathy Kazanowski,
Chief, Division of Management Systems, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
[FR Doc. 04-24732 Filed 11-4-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4510-24-P