53806 Federal Register / Vol. 62, No. 200 / Thursday, October 16, 1997 / Notices

information collection. We need this

outside input to help us:

(1) 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;

(2) Evaluate the accuracy of our

estimate of the burden of the proposed

collection of information, including the

validity of the methodology and

assumptions used;

(3) Enhance the quality, utility, and

clarity of the information to be

collected; and

(4) Minimize the burden of the

collection of information on those who

are to respond, through use, as

appropriate, of automated, electronic,

mechanical, and other collection

technologies, e.g., permitting electronic

submission of responses.

Estimate of burden: The public

reporting burden for this collection of

information is estimated to average

.5422 hours per response.

Respondents: Animal agricultural

producers, veterinary practitioners, and

animal related industries.

Estimated number of respondents:

10,843.

Estimated number of responses per

respondent: 3.2295.

Estimated annual number of

responses: 35,018.

Estimated total annual burden on

respondents: 18,987 hours. (Due to

rounding, the total annual burden hours

may not equal the product of the annual

number of responses multiplied by the

average reporting burden per response.)

All responses to this notice will be

summarized and included in the request

for OMB approval. All comments will

also become a matter of public record.

Done in Washington, DC, this 9th day of

October 1997.

Craig A. Reed,

Acting Administrator, Animal and Plant

Health Inspection Service.

[FR Doc. 97–27425 Filed 10–15–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3410–34–P

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

Bureau of Economic Analysis

Proposal To Collect Information on

Transactions of U.S. Parent

Companies With Their Foreign

Affiliates

ACTION: Proposed collection; comment

request.

SUMMARY: The Department of

Commerce, as part of its continuing

effort to reduce paperwork and

respondent burden, invites the general

public and other Federal agencies to

comment on proposed and/or

continuing information collections, as

required by the Paperwork Reduction

Act of 1995, Pub. L. 104–13(44 U.S.C.

3506(c)(2)(A).

DATES: Written comments must be

submitted on or before December 15,

1997.

ADDRESSES: Direct all written comments

to Linda Engelmeier, Departmental

Forms Clearance Officer, Department of

Commerce, Room 5327, 14th and

Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington,

DC. 20230.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Requests for additional information or

copies of the information collection

instruments and instructions should be

directed to: R. David Belli, U.S.

Department of Commerce, Bureau of

Economic Analysis, BE–50(OC),

Washington, DC. 20230 (Telephone

202–606–9800).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

I. Abstract

Form BE–577, Direct Transactions of

U.S. Reporter with Foreign Affiliate,

obtains quarterly sample data on

transactions and positions between U.S.

business enterprises and their foreign

affiliates. The data are needed for

compiling the U.S. balance of payments

accounts, the international investment

position of the United States, and the

national income and product accounts.

The data are also needed to measure the

amount of U.S. direct investment

abroad, monitor changes in such

investment, assess its impact on the U.S.

and foreign economies, and, based on

this assessment, make informed policy

decisions regarding U.S. direct

investment abroad.

The form will incorporate a single

minor revision. It will now request

corrections, if any, that might be

necessary in the foreign affiliate’s threedigit industry classification that appears

on the form. In the past, respondents

were required to file Form BE–507,

Industry Classification Questionnaire, to

report changes in industry

classification. As a result of this revision

proposed to Form BE–577, Form BE–

507 is being discontinued.

II. Method of Collection

Form BE–577 is a quarterly report that

is sent to U.S. parent companies to file

for their foreign affiliates. Reports must

be filed within 30 days after the end of

each quarter (45 days after final quarter

of the foreign affiliate’s fiscal year) for

every foreign business enterprise that is

owned 10 percent or more by a U.S.

person and that has total assets, sales, or

net income (or loss) of over $20 million.

Potential respondents are the U.S.

parent companies of foreign business

enterprises that reported in the last

benchmark survey of U.S. direct

investment abroad, along with the U.S.

parent companies of those affiliates that

subsequently entered the direct

investment universe. The data collected

are sample data covering transactions

and positions between U.S. business

enterprises and their foreign affiliates.

Universe estimates are developed from

the reported sample data.

III. Data

OMB Number: 0608–0004.

Form Number: BE–577.

Type of Review: Renewal with

revision.

Affected Public: Businesses or other

for-profit.

Estimated Number of Responses:

12,800 per quarter; 51,200 annually.

Estimated Time Per Response: 1.25

hours.

Estimated Total Annual Burden:

64,000 hours.

Estimated Total Annual Cost:

$1,920,000 (based on an estimated

reporting burden of 64,000 hours and an

estimated hourly cost of $30).

IV. Request for Comments

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 has practical

utility; (b) the accuracy of the agency’s

estimate of the burden (including hours

and cost) 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.

Comments submitted in response to

this notice will be summarized and/or

included in the request for OMB

approval of this information collection;

they also will become a matter of public

record.

Dated: October 9, 1997.

Linda Engelmeier,

Departmental Forms Clearance Officer, Office

of Management and Organization.

[FR Doc. 97–27477 Filed 10–15–97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 3510–06–P