(1)In Chapter 2 of Part 1 of the Adoption and Children Act 2002 (the Adoption Service) after section 3 insert—
(1)The Secretary of State may give directions requiring one or more named local authorities in England, or one or more descriptions of local authority in England, to make arrangements for all or any of their functions within subsection (3) to be carried out on their behalf by one or more other adoption agencies.
(2)The Secretary of State may by order require all local authorities in England to make arrangements for all or any of their functions within subsection (3) to be carried out on their behalf by one or more other adoption agencies.
(3)The functions are their functions in relation to—
(a)the recruitment of persons as prospective adopters;
(b)the assessment of prospective adopters’ suitability to adopt a child;
(c)the approval of prospective adopters as suitable to adopt a child.”
(2)In section 140(3) of that Act (statutory instruments containing subordinate legislation that are subject to the affirmative procedure), before paragraph (a) insert—
“(za)under section 3A(2),”.
(3)The Secretary of State may not make an order under subsection (2) of section 3A of the Adoption and Children Act 2002 (as inserted by subsection (1)) before 1 March 2015.