Section 13A – Scotland’s Adoption Register
191.Subsection (1) provides that the Scottish Ministers must make arrangements for the establishment and maintenance of a register to be known as Scotland’s Adoption Register (“the Register”) for the purposes of facilitating adoption.
192.Subsection (2) provides that the Scottish Ministers may, by regulations, prescribe information relating to adoption which is, or types of information relating to adoption which are, to be included in the Register. This may include information relating to: children who adoption agencies consider should be placed for adoption; persons considered by adoption agencies as suitable to have a child placed with them for adoption; matters relating to such children or persons which arise after information about them is included in the Register; children outwith Scotland who may be suitable for adoption; or prospective adopters outwith Scotland. It provides that the Scottish Ministers may, by regulations, provide for how information is to be retained in the Register and make such further provision in relation to the Register as they consider appropriate.
193.Subsection (3) provides that the Register is not to be open to public inspection or search. The information on the Register cannot be accessed or searched by anyone other than the Scottish Ministers, or the Registration organisation on behalf of the Scottish Ministers.
194.Subsection (4) provides that information is to be kept in the Register in any form the Scottish Ministers consider appropriate.