(1)The Secretary of State must provide a person (A) with the information mentioned in subsection (4) in relation to another (B) if—
(a)A makes an application for the information,
(b)the application contains the appropriate declaration, and
(c)the Secretary of State has no reason to believe that the declaration is false.
(2)The appropriate declaration is a declaration by A—
(a)that he falls within column 1 of a specified entry, and
(b)that B has consented to the provision of the information to A.
(3)In this section references to a specified entry are to an entry in the table in Schedule 7 specified by A in his declaration.
(4)The information is—
(a)if column 2 of the specified entry refers to children, relevant information relating to children, and
(b)if column 2 of the specified entry refers to vulnerable adults, relevant information relating to vulnerable adults.
(5)Paragraph (b) of subsection (2) does not apply if the specified entry is 17.
(6)If B consents to the provision of information to A in relation to an application under this section, the consent also has effect in relation to any subsequent such application by A.
(7)The Secretary of State may prescribe the form, manner and contents of an application for the purposes of this section (including the form and manner of a declaration contained in such an application).
(8)The Secretary of State may by regulations make provision requiring a local authority which makes or proposes to make payments to or on behalf of a person in accordance with regulations under section 17A of the Children Act 1989 (c. 41) or section 57 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001 (c. 15) to inform the person of his right to obtain relevant information under this section.