18.—(1) After a certified copy of an interlocutor mentioned in rule 16 has been sent to the Registrar General for Scotland, the sheriff clerk shall forthwith–
(a)place the whole process in an envelope bearing only–
(i)the name of the petitioners;
(ii)the full name of the child to whom the process relates; and
(iii)the date of the order; and
(b)seal the envelope and mark it “confidential”.
(2) No person shall open a process referred to in paragraph (1) or inspect its contents within 100 years after the date of the parental order, except–
(a)the person in respect of whom the parental order was made after he has reached the age of 17 years;
(b)any other person or body entitled under section 45(5) of the Act of 1978, as modified and applied in relation to parental orders and applications for such orders by Schedule 1 to the Regulations, to access to the registers and books kept under section 45(4) of that Act, as so modified and applied, with the written authority of the person in respect of whom the parental order was made;
(c)by order of the court on an application made by petition presented by another court or authority (whether within the United Kingdom or not) having the power to make a parental order for the purpose of obtaining information in connection with an application to it for such an order;
(d)by order of the court on an application made by petition presented by any person; and
(e)a person who is authorised in writing by the Secretary of State to obtain information from the process for the purpose of research designed to improve the working of human fertilistion and embryology law and practice.