Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to increase the number of female role models for women entrepreneurs.

We support the aim of having more female role models for women entrepreneurs. We are working to ensure we have the right business environment for everyone, including women, to set up and grow a business. The Business is GREAT website (http://www.greatbusiness.gov.uk/women-in-enterprise/) includes case studies of women who have started and grown successful businesses. In 2015 the Global Entrepreneurship Development Institute ranked the UK as the best country in Europe for female entrepreneurs.

The Start-Up Loans Company is celebrating the achievements of British businesses with the launch of the Start-Up Loans Ambassador Programme to showcase success stories. Four of the six businesses selected as ambassadors are owned by women. We have been working with businesses to increase representation of women on boards, which we hope will also continue to create more female role models across all sectors.