Adoption and Children Act 2002

Information

98 Pre-commencement adoptions: information

(1) Regulations under section 9 may make provision for the purpose of—

(a) assisting persons adopted before the appointed day who have attained the age of 18 to obtain information in relation to their adoption, and

(b) facilitating contact between such persons and their relatives.

(2) For that purpose the regulations may confer functions on—

(a) registered adoption support agencies,

(b) the Registrar General,

(c) adoption agencies.

(3) For that purpose the regulations may—

(a) authorise or require any person mentioned in subsection (2) to disclose information,

(b) authorise or require the disclosure of information contained in records kept under section 8 of the Public Records Act 1958 (c. 51) (court records),

and may impose conditions on the disclosure of information, including conditions restricting its further disclosure.

(4) The regulations may authorise the charging of prescribed fees by any person mentioned in subsection (2) or in respect of the disclosure of information under subsection (3)(b).

(5) An authorisation or requirement to disclose information by virtue of subsection (3)(a) has effect in spite of any restriction on the disclosure of information in Chapter 5.

(6) The making of regulations by virtue of subsections (2) to (4) which relate to the Registrar General requires the approval of the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

(7) In this section—

• “appointed day” means the day appointed for the commencement of sections 56 to 65,

• “registered adoption support agency” means an adoption support agency in respect of which a person is registered under Part 2 of the Care Standards Act 2000 (c. 14),

• “relative”, in relation to an adopted person, means any person who (but for his adoption) would be related to him by blood (including half-blood) or marriage.