Care Standards Act 2000

45 Inspection by registration authority of adoption and fostering services

(1) Subject to section 47(6)—

(a) the registration authority may at any time require a local authority to provide it with any information relating to the discharge by the local authority of relevant functions which the registration authority considers it necessary or expedient to have for the purposes of its functions under this Part;

(b) a person authorised to do so by the registration authority may at any time enter and inspect premises which are used, or which he has reasonable cause to believe to be used, by a local authority in its discharge of relevant functions.

(2) A person authorised by virtue of this section to enter and inspect premises may—

(a) inspect and take copies of any documents or records relating to the discharge by the local authority of relevant functions;

(b) interview in private any employee of the local authority.

(3) The powers under subsection (2)(a) include—

(a) power to require the local authority to produce any documents or records, wherever kept, for inspection on the premises; and

(b) in relation to records which are kept by means of a computer, power to require the records to be produced in a form in which they are legible and can be taken away.

(4) Subject to section 47(6), the Secretary of State may by regulations require the Commission to arrange for premises which are used by a local authority in its discharge of relevant functions to be inspected on such occasions or at such intervals as may be prescribed.

(5) Subsections (8) and (9) of section 31 shall have effect as if any reference in them to section 31 included a reference to this section and section 46.