Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Transport

Oral Answers to Questions

Amber Rudd Excerpts
Thursday 18th October 2012

(12 years, 10 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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Order. The Minister has interpreted the question liberally and democratically, as one might have expected.

Amber Rudd Portrait Amber Rudd (Hastings and Rye) (Con)
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4. What steps she is taking to encourage more women to become entrepreneurs.

Maria Miller Portrait The Minister for Women and Equalities (Maria Miller)
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With permission, Mr Speaker, I shall answer questions 4 and 9 together. The majority women-led small and medium-sized enterprises already—

Maria Miller Portrait Maria Miller
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Thank you for that guidance, Mr Speaker.

The majority of women-led SMEs already contribute about £50 billion annually to the UK economy. We are building on that by promoting an entrepreneurial culture in schools and by identifying female role models and mentors. We also have a range of business support and access-to-finance schemes open to all entrepreneurs, male and female.

Amber Rudd Portrait Amber Rudd
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I have recently volunteered to be a mentor for the new enterprise allowance locally, although, curiously, I have not been appointed a mentee yet—I am sure that will be coming. Will the Minister join me in urging women with business experience, including Members of Parliament, to become a mentor and help other women become entrepreneurs?

Maria Miller Portrait Maria Miller
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I pay tribute to the excellent work that my hon. Friend does in her constituency to support businesses. She is absolutely right that mentoring is a vital part of helping more women get involved in business. The Home Secretary announced funding of £600,000 towards to the Get Mentoring initiative last year, and to date more than 10,000 volunteer mentors have been trained, 42% of whom are female, and I announced a further £100,000 for this initiative last month.