This section contains:

1. Protocol: Roles and Responsibilities
2. Terms of Reference - Star Chamber Board
3. Terms of Reference - Internal Scrutiny Group
4. Terms of Reference - External Scrutiny Group

DCSF Star Chamber
Protocol: Roles and Responsibilities

Background
The Star Chamber gateway assesses all DCSF proposals for new data and research collections relating to children. It aims to ensure that all new collections are feasible, necessary, provide value for money and are timed to add as small a burden to the front line as possible.

Star Chamber Board Secretariat
The Secretariat is the key link between policy teams, Internal Scrutiny Group (ISG), External Scrutiny Group (ESG) and the Star Chamber Board itself. Method of working

1. The Secretariat is usually the first point of contact for policy teams completing templates. The Secretariat will check that all relevant sections have been filled in and then forward to Data Services Group (DSG) to ensure that there is no current duplication with other collections. DSG will usually turn these around within 24 hours.

2. The Star Chamber secretariat will then distribute the templates to ISG and ESG members. ESG members will discuss and comment on the templates at their next monthly meeting (unless special dispensation is requested for particularly complex proposals).

3. Policy teams whose proposals have been approved by ISG and ESG will be notified by the Star Chamber secretariat that they may proceed. The Secretariat will ensure that the Board is presented with a list of approved collections and record any queries to feed back to policy but it is initially assumed that the Board will not impede them except in very exceptional circumstances (as it could decide to call a halt to a collection at any time). The Board may, of course, wish to revisit this premise at some point.

4. The Secretariat will also ensure that the Board receives the templates detailing any proposals that are under dispute. The secretariat will also circulate any comments from the ISG, ESG and policy team involved to Board members in advance. The Board will then need to decide whether to approve or refuse the proposal and whether to apply any conditions.

5. The Board will be presented with a Data Collections Forward Look analysis in advance of the meeting. Data Services Group will provide this in order to incorporate it into the Board papers

6. Any concerns regarding the roll-out of collections or collections that have not been through the Star Chamber process should be notified to the Secretariat. The Secretariat will investigate and, if necessary, bring to the attention of the Board. The Board will need to consider how it wishes to handle breaches of the Star Chamber.

7. The Secretariat will also copy all research bids, which have been initially approved by the Research Approvals Committee, to members of the ISG. These bids are for information and any comment and should be responded to within 5 working days - if at all

8. The Secretariat will arrange for the Star Chamber Board to meet every 2 months

9. The Secretariat will record the minutes of the Star Chamber Board meeting and feed these back to policy teams, ISG and ESG. The Secretariat will also ensure that Ministers are regularly informed of the outcomes.

10. The Star Chamber Secretariat do not arrange the External Scrutiny Group meetings. The ESG will meet once a month and these will be organised by a representative from Data Services Group.