Agency Information Collection Activities: Proposed Information Collection; Comment Request

AGENCY:

Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), Treasury.

ACTION:

Notice and request for comment.

SUMMARY:

The OCC, as part of its continuing effort to reduce paperwork and respondent burden, invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on a continuing information collection, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995. An agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a respondent is not required to respond to, an information collection unless it displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (OMB) control number. The OCC is soliciting comment concerning an extension of OMB approval of the information collection titled, “Disclosure of Financial and Other Information by National Banks (12 CFR 18).”

DATES:

Comments must be submitted on or before May 14, 2007.

ADDRESSES:

Communications Division, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, Public Information Room, Mailstop 1-5, Attention: 1557-0182, 250 E Street, SW., Washington, DC 20219. In addition, comments may be sent by fax to (202) 874-4448, or by electronic mail to regs.comments@occ.treas.gov. You can inspect and photocopy the comments at the OCC's Public Information Room, 250 E Street, SW., Washington, DC 20219. You can make an appointment to inspect the comments by calling (202) 874-5043.

Additionally, you should send a copy of your comments to OCC Desk Officer, 1557-0182, by mail to U.S. Office of Management and Budget, 725 17th Street, NW., #10235, Washington, DC 20503, or by fax to (202) 395-6974.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

You may request additional information or a copy of the collection and supporting documentation submitted to OMB by contacting: Mary Gottlieb or Camille Dickerson, (202) 874-5090, Legislative and Regulatory Activities Division, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, 250 E Street, SW., Washington, DC 20219.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Title: Disclosure of Financial and Other Information by National Banks (12 CFR 18).

OMB Control No.: 1557-0182.

Type of Review: Extension, without revision, of a currently approved collection.

Description: The collections of information are found in 12 CFR 18.4(c) and 18.8. Section 18.4(c) permits a bank to prepare an optional narrative for inclusion in its annual disclosure statement. Section 18.8 requires that a national bank promptly furnish materials in response to a request.

The regulation applies to approximately 1,800 national banks and 50 Federal branches and agencies. Most banks will use their Call Reports or information prepared for annual reports as their disclosure material.

This program of periodic financial disclosure is needed, not only to facilitate informed decision making by existing and potential customers and investors, but also to improve public understanding of, and confidence in, the financial condition of individual national banks and the national banking system. Further, financial disclosure reduces the likelihood that the market will overreact to incomplete information.

Affected Public: Businesses or other for-profit.

Burden Estimates:

Estimated Number of Respondents: 1,850.

Estimated Number of Responses: 1,850.

Estimated Annual Burden: 925 hours.

Frequency of Response: On occasion.

Comments: Comments submitted in response to this notice will be summarized and included in the request for OMB approval. All comments will become a matter of public record. Comments are invited on:

(a) Whether the 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 of the collection of information;

(c) Ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected;

(d) Ways to minimize the burden of the collection on respondents, including through the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of information technology; and

(e) Estimates of capital or startup costs and costs of operation, maintenance, and purchase of services to provide information.