Part 5: Digital Government Chapter 5: Sharing for research purposes Section 71: Accreditation for the purposes of this Chapter
This section sets out the system of accreditation which will be operated by the Statistics Board. Accreditation applies to both the research itself and the persons involved in processing information for use in research.
	Subsection (1) gives the Statistics Board the power to accredit, and withdraw accreditation from:
persons who may be involved in processing information for disclosure under section 64(1),
persons to whom information may be disclosed under section 64(1),
researchers by whom the disclosed information may be used for research purposes, and
the research itself.
	Subsections (2) to (5) set out the duty of the Statistics Board to establish and publish conditions for accreditation as well as grounds for withdrawing accreditation. The conditions for the accreditation of persons involved in the processing of information for disclosure must include a condition that the person is a "fit and proper person" to be involved in such processing. The conditions for the accreditation of research must include a condition that the research is in the public interest. The grounds for withdrawal of accreditation must include a ground that the person has failed to have regard to the code of practice under section 70.
	Subsection (6) requires the Statistics Board, before publishing conditions for accreditation or grounds for withdrawal of accreditation, to consult the Minister for the Cabinet Office, the Information Commissioner, the Commissioners for Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs, the Scottish Ministers, the Welsh Ministers, the Department of Finance in Northern Ireland and such other persons as the Statistics Board thinks appropriate.
	Subsection (7) allows the Statistics Board to revise and update the accreditation criteria as and when it considers it to be appropriate. Subsection (8) provides that the Statistics Board must consult the same persons as required by subsection (7), before revising the accreditation criteria.
	Subsections (9) to (11) set out requirements for the Statistics Board to maintain and publish a register of accredited persons.