actice guidance Adoption: Access to Information and Intermediary Services. 11.45. A person who is unable to submit an application, for example, because of physical or mental incapacity, may authorise a person to make an application on their behalf. AIR 13.b requires the adoption agency to be satisfied that the person acting on behalf of the applicant has their authority to do so. 11.46. The agency is not required to proceed with an application unless it considers it appropriate. In reaching this decision, the agency’s decision-maker must consider the matters set out at section 61(5) of the Act. The decision-maker may determine not to proceed with the application where, for example, it has information to indicate that doing so could be harmful to the welfare of the adopted person. 11.47. Where the agency does proceed with the application, it is required by section 61(3) of the Act to take all reasonable steps to obtain the views of the subject of that information as to the disclosure of that information. 11.48. Where a person cannot be traced and their views ascertained, the agency may apply to the Registrar General for any information he may hold about them on the Adoption Contact Register, see AIR 20.1.b. Where there is an entry for the person on the Adoption Contact Register this may contain information, such as whether the person would not welcome contact or where contact is welcome, their most recent address. It is important to bear in mind that the individual may amend their entry on the Adoption Contact Register and the Registrar General is not required to inform the agency if this occurs. Therefore, any information previously obtained by the agency may not be up to date. To overcome this, the applicant may wish to register their own wishes on the Adoption Contact