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Select Committee · Women and Equalities Committee

Female entrepreneurship

Status: Closed Opened: 30 Jan 2025 Closed: 22 Jun 2026 25 recommendations 16 conclusions 1 report

The Women and Equalities Committee will examine the barriers women face pursuing entrepreneurialism. The inquiry will analyse in which sectors of the economy women face the greatest obstacles to entrepreneurship and why, and consider what can be done to address these.

Clear

Reports

1 report
Title HC No. Published Items Response
8th Report - Female entrepreneurship HC 711 22 Oct 2025 41 Responded

Recommendations & Conclusions

4 items
4 Recommendation 8th Report - Female entrepreneurship Acknowledged

Require British Business Bank to set target to increase equity finance for female entrepreneurs to 10%.

We recommend that the British Business Bank should: • have a fifth strategic objective, to ensure that equity finance to female entrepreneurs in the UK increases from 2% to 10% by 2030; • set itself the target of ensuring that no less than 30% of the finance it makes available … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the committee's recommendations for the British Business Bank but does not commit to immediate changes, stating it will not rule out interventions in the future if investment in female entrepreneurs does not improve.
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Government Equalities Office
8 Conclusion 8th Report - Female entrepreneurship Acknowledged

Innovate UK's funding structures and processes exhibit systemic bias against female entrepreneurs.

Innovate UK provides an essential funding stream for mainly male entrepreneurs. Women who seek to access funding from it report their projects being undervalued and subject to biased investment decisions from majority male assessment panels. Match funding requirements exclude women who already struggle to access investment while application processes are … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the conclusion by highlighting Innovate UK's existing Women in Innovation Programme, its past successes, and claiming equal success rates for applications. It also notes new actions being taken, such as establishing a Community Forum, launching an assessor recruitment campaign, and exploring ways …
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Government Equalities Office
9 Conclusion 8th Report - Female entrepreneurship Acknowledged

Require Innovate UK to ringfence 30% of funding and reform processes for female entrepreneurs.

Public funding structures should challenge gender bias and not reinforce it. Innovate UK should: • ringfence a minimum of 30% of its funding for female entrepreneurs with year on year increases to 40% by 2030; 53 • in the short term lower leverage ratios and reduce match funding requirements for … Read more

Government response AI summary
The government welcomes the recommendations and highlights the British Business Bank's new Strategic Plan and existing programmes, such as Start Up Loans, which embed diversity and inclusion to support female entrepreneurs. It commits to continue working with partners to build a more inclusive finance environment …
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Government Equalities Office
34 Conclusion 8th Report - Female entrepreneurship Acknowledged

Caregiving responsibilities and childcare costs remain significant barriers to female entrepreneurship.

Caregiving responsibilities and the cost and availability of childcare remain significant, yet often overlooked, barriers to female entrepreneurship. Women are disproportionately affected by the demands of caregiving, which limits their time, income, and ability to scale their businesses, particularly during critical growth phases. (Conclusion, Paragraph 135) Read more

Government response AI summary
The government acknowledged the conclusion regarding caregiving responsibilities and childcare costs as barriers, outlining a forthcoming Department for Education review of childcare provision, existing schemes like Tax-Free Childcare, and the National Wraparound Childcare program, while also mentioning future plans for nannies.
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Government Equalities Office

Oral evidence sessions

6 sessions
Date Witnesses
22 Apr 2026 Blair McDougall MP · Department for Business and Trade, Kristen McLeod · British Business Bank, Paula Crofts · Department for Business and Trade, The Lord Stockwood · Department for Business and Trade and HM Treasury View ↗
25 Feb 2026 Debbie Wosskow OBE · Invest in Women Taskforce, Jenny Tooth OBE · UK Business Angels Association, Tara Attfield-Tomes · The 51% Club & EAST VILLAGE View ↗
2 Jul 2025 Gareth Thomas MP · Department for Business and Trade, Gillian Unsworth · Equality Hub, Paula Crofts · Department for Business and Trade, The Baroness Gustafsson CBE · Department for Business and Trade View ↗
4 Jun 2025 Alice Albizzati · Revaia, Jenny Tooth OBE · UK Business Angels Association, Rupert Lyle · West Midlands Co-Investment Fund, Sophie Winwood · unlock VC View ↗
7 May 2025 Devie Mohan · Burnmark, Dr Roni Savage · Jomas Associates, Izzy Obeng · Foundervine, Louise Hill · GoHenry View ↗
2 Apr 2025 Debbie Wosskow OBE · Invest in Women Taskforce, Dr Lorna Treanor · The University of Nottingham, Dr Sarah Marks · Swansea University School of Management, Jill Pay · The Gender Index, Professor Ute Stephan · King's College London, Stephen Welton CBE · British Business Bank View ↗

Who gave evidence

22 witnesses
WitnessOrganisationSessions
Debbie Wosskow OBE · Co-Chair Invest in Women Taskforce 2
Jenny Tooth OBE · Executive Chair UK Business Angels Association 2
Paula Crofts · Director, Small Business Growth Department for Business and Trade 2
Alice Albizzati · Co-founder Revaia 1
Blair McDougall MP · Minister for Small Business and Economic Transfor… Department for Business and Trade 1
Devie Mohan · Co-Founder and CEO Burnmark 1
Dr Lorna Treanor · Associate Professor in Entrepreneurship and Innov… The University of Nottingham 1
Dr Roni Savage · Founder and CEO Jomas Associates 1
Dr Sarah Marks · Lecturer in HRM and Organisational Behaviour Swansea University School of Management 1
Gareth Thomas MP · Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports Department for Business and Trade 1
Gillian Unsworth · Head of Gender and Workplace Equality Equality Hub 1
Izzy Obeng · Co-Founder and CEO Foundervine 1
Jill Pay · Chair The Gender Index 1
Kristen McLeod · Chief Strategy Officer British Business Bank 1
Louise Hill · Co-Founder and CEO GoHenry 1
Professor Ute Stephan · Professor of Entrepreneurship King's College London 1
Rupert Lyle · Fund Principal West Midlands Co-Investment Fund 1
Sophie Winwood · Co-founder and CEO unlock VC 1
Stephen Welton CBE · Chair of Board British Business Bank 1
Tara Attfield-Tomes · Founder The 51% Club & EAST VILLAGE 1
The Baroness Gustafsson CBE · Minister of State (Minister for Investment) Department for Business and Trade 1
The Lord Stockwood · Minister of State (Minister for Investment) Department for Business and Trade and HM Treasury 1

Correspondence

2 letters
DateDirectionTitle
3 Jun 2026 — Corres. from Minister of State, Dept for Business and Trade and HM Treasury and…
3 Sep 2025 — Correspondence from the Minister for Investment, Department for Business and Tr…