Forthcoming changes to MAS - Transfer of MAS client data to a new provider of MAS in England

What's happening?

If you’ve been a client of MAS since 1 April 2010 we’ll be contacting you shortly to notify you of some changes to how the information we hold about your business is being stored and to seek your permission to transfer your information to a new provider of MAS from 1 January 2012.

We’ve added this news item to our website to inform MAS clients of what we are doing and to keep you informed of the latest developments. This relates to detailed information we hold about our clients which is covered by the Data Protection Act and by law we are required to notify MAS clients of these changes.

Why are we doing this?

The Government announced in Budget 2011 that following the closure of the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) delivery of the Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS) would be transferred to a new national delivery partner. The Government is committed to helping manufacturers to grow and as part of the ‘Plan for Growth’, £57 million of public funding has been committed by Government to deliver MAS over the next three years across England.

As a consequence of the abolition of the RDAs, who have funded MAS across England since its inception in 2002, responsibility for the Manufacturing Advisory Service (‘MAS’) will transfer to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (‘BIS’) from 1st January 2012.

At this point, BIS will become the ‘Data Controller’ for data you have provided to us.  In order to facilitate this transfer, it will be necessary for the RDAs and the current MAS Regional Centres to share your data with BIS and the new provider of MAS from 1st November 2011.  BIS will inform you of the identity of the new provider of MAS prior to 1st November 2011 with whom your data will be shared.

We want to transfer this data so that, if you choose to return to MAS in the future, the new provider will hold accurate records of the support you have received previously. This will ensure that they are able to quickly understand your business and your particular needs, helping to deliver the best possible service as you’ve come to expect from MAS.

As a former MAS client, what will I need to do?

If you have received a Manufacturing Review or MAS subsidised consultancy since 1 April 2010 we will be contacting you shortly to seek your permission to transfer the details we hold about your company and the records we hold regarding your previous MAS support to BIS and their new delivery agent(s).

The letter (or email) will tell you what you need to do and the process involved. MAS North East clients are not affected by this process as they have already consented to have their details shared as part of the existing Data Sharing Statement. All other MAS regions will be undertaking the process.

The data we are seeking to transfer includes items such as your company name, address and contact details. Furthermore, we will also be transferring any Manufacturing Reviews (diagnostic’s MAS performed on your business) and details of any subsidised consultancy (MAS Level 4 support) you received to BIS and the new provider. These documents will contain the commercial details you provided to MAS at the time. This data is being transferred to ensure that MAS is well placed to provide support to returning clients who have accessed the service previously. It may also be used for research and evaluation purposes.

Further details about the new MAS delivery arrangements will be available later in the year.