Entrepreneurship and business

Entrepreneurs are vital to driving growth, innovation, competition, productivity and job creation, across the country and across communities. The Committee's inquiries into Small Business Strategy and Investing in the UK Economy examined how businesses grow and access scale-up finance. Now we are studying the start-up phase, considering: How do people start businesses? What are the conditions that support entrepreneurship? How effective are Government policies at encouraging enterprise creation? How will the new department combine its new innovation policy to help? This inquiry will examine the UK's entrepreneurial ecosystem, consider lessons from international comparators, and explore the roles of education, finance, innovation and government policy in supporting business creation. It will also examine entrepreneurship in the skilled trades, including the journey from sole trader to employer, and the factors that help or hinder tradespeople in building viable businesses and taking on apprentices. Read the call for evidence for more detail about the inquiry.