If the Secretary or a principal officer is holding a consent to the adoption of a child and the child is not placed in the care of a prospective adoptive parent with a view to adoption within 6 months after the day on which the consent is signed, or the child is not the subject of an adoption order within 2 years after that day, the Secretary or principal officer must –

(a) endeavour to inform each person who so consented of the reasons for the delay and give him or her an opinion concerning the likelihood of an adoption order being made; and

(b) give each such person who requests it further information as to the progress of arrangements for the adoption of the child.