s recognises that some adopted adults have no wish for contact with former relatives but do wish to receive information about their family history and early life. 10.6. Most adopted people apply for information from the adoption agency first before deciding if they wish to go further and actively pursue contact with a birth relative. Some adopted people undertake their own research to establish the identity and whereabouts of the person with whom they wish to have contact. They may then apply to an intermediary agency, in order to request that it make the initial approach to that person. In other cases, the intermediary agency may undertake the research and tracing on behalf of the adopted person, obtaining the information it needs from the adoption agency, the Registrar General, the courts or other public records. The extent of the work undertaken by the intermediary agency will therefore depend upon the range of information that the adopted person already holds. Confidentiality and access to information 10.7. Regulations 14 and 15 of the 1983 Regulations provide for the retention, secure storage and confidentiality of adoption case records in all cases where the 187 adoption order was made before 30 December 2005. The case records, in whatever format the information is preserved, must be kept in secure conditions at all times, e.g. a lockable cabinet or secure room to prevent the theft, unauthorised disclosure, loss or destruction of, or damage to the adoption records. This applies to adoption case records not kept at the agency’s main premises, either on a temporary or permanent basis. The regulations also set out the circumstances in which adoption agencies must disclose information from the records, or have discretion to do so. Records must be retained for a minimu