Mary Macleod, MP for Brentford & Isleworth, has responded to the Evening Standard article released last night where Seema Malhotra MP alleged the Government of not doing enough to support women who want to set up their own business.

Mary said,

“The government is fully committed to supporting women who want to set up their own business and it is quite wrong to suggest that not enough is being done to help them. In fact, I would say that more than ever is being done, certainly much more than the previous government. This week alone the government announced a £30 million boost to the Start-Up Loan Fund to create thousands of new businesses and extended the age limit to 30, bringing the total pot to more than £110 million over the next three years.

We have also created the Women's Business Council specifically to advise the government on ways to maximise women's contribution to economic growth, as well as providing £100,000 to help women find the right business mentor. This has increased the overall mentoring programme to £1.8 million.  The Business Secretary has also launched the Entrepreneurs' Forum to regularly engage with entrepreneurs, the majority of whom are women.

This is all part of a programme to support entrepreneurs in general, both male and female, which includes transforming the business advice given to people starting new businesses as part of the new national help-line www.gov.uk and supporting the StartUp Britain campaign to encourage everyone to think about 'the business in you'.

In West London, I have already launched a campaign to increase the numbers of female entrepreneurs and encourage women to set up their own business, releasing their potential. The first event was held in Hounslow a few months ago and was oversubscribed from women in the local area. This event brought together inspirational local entrepreneurs and specialist support organisations such as StartUp Britain, the Princes Trust to share ideas and best practice and encourage local women considering starting their own business. The next event is being held this Friday 11th January in Chiswick entitled 'Entrepreneurial Women - Taking the Start-up Challenge' and I would urge any women in my local area to come along and learn more about how to make their dream of running their own business a reality - please contact my office on 020 7219 7023 for more details.

I welcome Seema’s plan to pilot a similar scheme in her own constituency - anything which provides support for potential female entrepreneurs in the Hounslow borough is good news for her local residents.

There are many local women with huge potential and excellent experience who could make a real success of creating their own businesses. The opportunities are out there and this Government is dedicated to supporting people who want to get on in life; encouraging more women into business is a big part of that.”