(1)    Regulations may make provision for the establishment and operation of a scheme for the accreditation of information service providers (“the accreditation scheme”).

(2)    The regulations may provide that the accreditation scheme is to be established and operated by the Information Centre or such other person as the Secretary of State may specify in the regulations (the “operator”).

(3)    The regulations may, in particular, confer power on the operator—

(a)    to establish the procedure for accrediting information service providers under the scheme,

(b)    to set the criteria to be met by a provider in order to be accredited (“the accreditation criteria”),

(c)    to keep an accreditation under the scheme under review, and

(d)    to charge a reasonable fee in respect of an application for accreditation.

(4)    The regulations may make provision requiring the operator—

(a)    to publish details of the scheme, including, in particular, the accreditation criteria,

(b)    to provide for the review of a decision to refuse an application for accreditation, and

(c)    to provide advice to applicants for accreditation with a view to ensuring that they meet the accreditation criteria.

(5)    In this section “information service provider” means any person other than a public body who provides services involving the collection, analysis, publication or other dissemination of information in connection with the provision of health services or of adult social care in England.