Proposed Collection; Comment Request

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

Extension: Rule 23c-1, SEC File No. 270-253, OMB Control No. 3235-0260.

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 (the “Commission”) is soliciting comments on the collection of information summarized below. The Commission plans to submit this existing collection of information to the Office of Management and Budget for extension and approval.

Rule 23c-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, among other things, permits a closed-end fund to repurchase its securities for cash if in addition to the other requirements set forth in the rule: (i) Payment of the purchase price is accompanied or preceded by a written confirmation of the purchase; (ii) the asset coverage per unit of the security to be purchased is disclosed to the seller or his agent; and (iii) if the security is a stock, the fund has, within the preceding six months, informed stockholders of its intention to purchase stock. The Commission staff estimates that approximately 19 closed-end funds rely on Rule 23c-1 annually to undertake approximately 115 repurchases of their securities. The Commission staff estimates that, on average, a fund spends approximately 2.5 hours on complying with the paperwork requirements listed above each time it undertakes a security repurchase under the rule. The total annual burden of the rule's paperwork requirements thus is estimated to be 287.5 hours.

In addition, the fund must file with the Commission, during the calendar month following any month in which a purchase permitted by rule 23c-1 occurs, two copies of a report of purchases made during the month, together with a copy of any written solicitation to purchase securities given by or on behalf of the fund to 10 or more persons. The burden associated with filing Form N-23C-1, the form for this report, has been addressed in the submission for that form.

The estimate of average burden hours is made solely for the purposes of the Paperwork Reduction Act, and is not derived from a comprehensive or even a representative survey or study of the costs of Commission rules and forms.

Written comments are invited on: (a) Whether the collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the Commission, including whether the information has practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the Commission's estimate of the burden of the collection of information; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information 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. Consideration will be given to comments and suggestions submitted in writing within 60 days of this publication.

Please direct your written comments to Michael E. Bartell, Associate Executive Director, Office of Information Technology, Securities and Exchange Commission, 450 5th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20549.