Asked by: Kate Osamor (Labour (Co-op) - Edmonton and Winchmore Hill)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has had recent discussions with the Minister for Women and Equalities on taking steps to improve accessibility to entrepreneurship and business ownership for people with protected characteristics in Edmonton constituency.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Minister without Portfolio
The Government is fully committed to supporting businesses and creating the best conditions for enterprise so that everyone, whatever their background, has the means and know-how to start and grow a business.
We are supporting early-stage entrepreneurs from all backgrounds through the Start-Up Loans Company which provides funding and intensive support to new entrepreneurs.
Since 2012, 40% of Start Up Loans have gone to women, worth over £344m and 20% of loans worth 187m have gone to Black, Asian, and Ethnic-minority businesses.
332 SMEs in Edmonton have received Start Up Loans to the value of £2,407,357 as of November 2022.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has had recent discussions with the Minister for Women and Equalities on taking steps to improve accessibility to entrepreneurship and business ownership for people with protected characteristics in Warrington North constituency.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Minister without Portfolio
The Government is fully committed to supporting businesses and creating the best conditions for enterprise so that everyone, whatever their background, has the means and know-how to start and grow a business.
We are supporting early-stage entrepreneurs from all backgrounds through the Start-Up Loans Company which provides funding and intensive support to new entrepreneurs.
Since 2012, 40% of Start Up Loans have gone to women, worth over £344m and 20% of loans worth 187m have gone to Black, Asian, and Ethnic-minority businesses.
142 SMEs in Warrington North have received Start Up Loans to the value of £1,356,272 as of November 2022.
Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North and Cottingham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has had recent discussions with the Minister for Women and Equalities on taking steps to help improve accessibility to (a) entrepreneurship and (b) business ownership for people with protected characteristics in Kingston upon Hull North constituency.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Minister without Portfolio
The Government is fully committed to supporting businesses and creating the best conditions for enterprise so that everyone, whatever their background, has the means and know-how to start and grow a business.
We are supporting early-stage entrepreneurs from all backgrounds through the Start-Up Loans Company which provides funding and intensive support to new entrepreneurs.
Since 2012, 40% of Start Up Loans have gone to women, worth over £344m and 20% of loans worth 187m have gone to Black, Asian, and Ethnic-minority business and 220 SMEs in Kingston Upon Hull North have received loans to the value of £1,708,761 (as of November 2022).
Asked by: Cat Smith (Labour - Lancaster and Wyre)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has had recent discussions with the Minister for Women and Equalities on taking steps to improve accessibility to entrepreneurship and business ownership for people with protected characteristics in Lancaster and Fleetwood constituency.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Minister without Portfolio
The Government is fully committed to supporting businesses and creating the best conditions for enterprise so that everyone, whatever their background, has the means and know-how to start and grow a business.
We are supporting early-stage entrepreneurs from all backgrounds through the Start-Up Loans Company which provides funding and intensive support to new entrepreneurs.
Since 2012, 40% of Start Up Loans have gone to women, worth over £344m and 20% of loans worth 187m have gone to Black, Asian, and Ethnic-minority businesses. 102 SMEs in Lancaster and Fleetwood have received Start Up Loans to the value of £866,495 as of November 2022.
Asked by: Alison McGovern (Labour - Birkenhead)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with (a) the Minister for Women and Equalities and (b) Cabinet colleagues on improving (i) access to entrepreneurial career pathways and (ii) business ownership for people with protected characteristics in Wirral South.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Minister without Portfolio
The Government is fully committed to supporting businesses and creating the best conditions for enterprise so that everyone, whatever their background, has the means and know-how to start and grow a business.
We are supporting early-stage entrepreneurs from all backgrounds through the Start-Up Loans Company which provides funding and intensive support to new entrepreneurs. Since 2012, 40% of Start Up Loans have gone to women, worth over £341m and 20% of loans worth 183m have gone to Black, Asian, and Ethnic-minority business. (as at October 2022). 106 SMEs in Wirral South have received loans to the value of £1,014,500 as of October 2022.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has had recent discussions with the Minister for Women and Equalities on taking steps to improve accessibility to entrepreneurship and business ownership for people with protected characteristics in Sefton Central constituency.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Minister without Portfolio
The Government is fully committed to supporting businesses and creating the best conditions for enterprise so that everyone, whatever their background, has the means and know-how to start and grow a business.
We are supporting early-stage entrepreneurs from all backgrounds through the Start-Up Loans Company which provides funding and intensive support to new entrepreneurs. Since 2012, 40% of Start Up Loans have gone to women, worth over £341m and 20% of loans worth 183m have gone to Black, Asian, and Ethnic-minority business (as at October 2022). One hundred and sixty SMEs in Sefton Central have received loans to the value of £1,688,512 as of October 2022.
Asked by: Caroline Dinenage (Conservative - Gosport)
Question
To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities, what steps her Department is taking to support female entrepreneurs.
Answered by Katherine Fletcher
We are committed to harnessing the skills, innovation and talents of female entrepreneurs. That’s why this Government launched a Women-Led High-Growth Enterprise Taskforce in May 2022, led by Anne Boden of Starling Bank and with a membership of some of this country’s most successful female entrepreneurs.
It will use its convening power to influence high-growth investors, raise the aspirations of the next generation and work to stimulate regional funding opportunities.
Asked by: Kirsten Oswald (Scottish National Party - East Renfrewshire)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the impact of ending the New Enterprise Allowance programme on the number of women in receipt of benefits starting their own business.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
Between April 2011 and December 2020 approximately 99,000 women (41% of all participants) started on the NEA and 59,000 (42%) of these progressed to set up a business. The NEA programme was however, only one form of support and The Department for Work and Pensions does not collect data on the total number of businesses which are started by all benefit recipients.
Alternative support such as the Small Business Helpline in England, Business Wales, Fair Start Scotland and the Start Up Loans Schemes remain available. Support for the self-employed is also built into Universal Credit. Self-employed claimants on Universal Credit receive financial support to supplement their earnings, and during a start-up period, regular support from self-employment work coaches. This includes signposting claimants to tools and resources to develop the skills and experience they need. DWP also partners with local and national organisations so that claimants can access tailored, all-round support.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of the people who made starts on the New Enterprise Allowance were (a) disabled, (b) aged 50 or over, (c) women and (d) from an ethnic minority background.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
The latest available statistics, detailing the period up to December 2020, were published in May 2021 and can be accessed here. Updated statistics are being prepared and we aim to publish these in March 2022.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what assessment she has made of the effect on potential entrepreneurs of ending the New Enterprise Allowance.
Answered by Mims Davies - Shadow Minister (Women)
No assessment has been made.
The contract for the New Enterprise Allowance (NEA) was extended by nine months to support claimants through the unprecedented challenges that arose due to the pandemic. While new referrals to the NEA ended on 31 December 2021, participants on the programme will receive support until October 2023.
The NEA was just one form of provision available to the self-employed. Those self-employed or those wishing to become self-employed can access support from the Small Business Helpline in England, Business Wales and Fair Start Scotland. Additionally, the Start Up Loans scheme, run by the British Business Bank, delivers support to many people that may have otherwise struggled to obtain support through a commercial bank loan. The scheme provides mentoring to those starting their business, and offers support to women entrepreneurs, entrepreneurs from ethnic minority backgrounds and individuals who were previously unemployed.
Support for the self-employed is built into Universal Credit. Self-employed claimants on Universal Credit receive financial support to supplement their earnings, and during a start-up period, regular support from self-employment Work Coaches. This includes signposting claimants to tools and resources to develop the skills and experience they need. Claimants on legacy benefits who become self-employed may migrate to Universal Credit and receive a start-up period of up to one year, which includes 1-2-1 Work Coach support to develop their business. DWP also partners with local and national organisations so that claimants can access tailored, all-round support.