In section 259 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 (powers to require and request provision of information), in subsection (1)—
(a)at the end of paragraph (a) omit “and”;
(b)for paragraph (b) substitute—
“(aa)require any health care provider, not within paragraph (a), to provide the Centre with any information which the Centre considers it necessary or expedient to have for the purposes of complying with a direction of the Secretary of State under section 254, and
(b)request any person to provide the Centre with any information which the Centre considers it necessary or expedient to have for the purposes of any function it exercises by virtue of this Chapter.”;
(c)in subsection (2), for “Those persons” substitute “The persons mentioned in this subsection”;
(d)omit subsection (4);
(e)in subsection (5), after “subsection (1)(a)” insert “or (aa)”;
(f)omit subsection (7);
(g)in subsection (9), after “subsection” insert “(1)(aa) or”;
(h)after subsection (10) insert—
“(10A)For enforcement of requirements under subsection (1)(a) or (aa) against persons other than public bodies, see section 277E.
(10B)In this section “health care provider” means a person who is required to be registered under Chapter 2 of Part 1 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 in respect of the carrying on of a regulated activity (within the meaning of Part 1 of that Act) involving or connected with the provision of health care.”