(1)The Information Centre—
(a)may give advice or guidance to any person mentioned in subsection (2) on any matter relating to the collection, analysis, publication or other dissemination of information, and
(b)must, if requested to do so by the Secretary of State or the Board, give advice or guidance on any such matter as may be specified in the request to—
(i)the Secretary of State or (as the case may be) the Board;
(ii)such other persons as may be specified in the request.
(2)Those persons are—
(a)the Secretary of State,
(b)the Board,
(c)any person who makes, or is proposing to make, a request under section 255,
(d)any health or social care body, and
(e)any person (including a devolved authority) who collects, or is proposing to collect, information which relates to the provision of health care or adult social care.
(3)The Secretary of State must, at least once in any review period, exercise the power under subsection (1)(b) by requesting the Information Centre to give the Secretary of State advice about ways in which the burdens relating to the collection of information imposed on health or social care bodies and other persons may be minimised.
(4)For the purposes of subsection (3) a review period is—
(a)the period of 3 years beginning with the day on which this section comes into force, and
(b)each subsequent period of 3 years.
(5)A health or social care body to whom advice or guidance is given under this section must have regard to the advice or guidance in exercising functions in connection with the provision of health services or of adult social care in England.
(6)A person, other than a public body, who provides health services, or adult social care in England, pursuant to arrangements made with a public body exercising functions in connection with the provision of such services or care must, in providing those services or that care, have regard to any advice or guidance given to the person under this section.