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A new group of MPs has today been launched in order to examine the obstacles that currently stand in the way of more women becoming entrepreneurs.

The group of MPs will meet with experts from business, academia, government and think tanks and will bring forward concrete recommendations for progress.

ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) will act as the secretariat to the group.

Chair of the Women and Enterprise Group, Lorely Burt MP, said: "Women make up 51% of the UK population and 47% of those active in the labour market, but they are seriously under represented in setting up small businesses. Only 15% of UK businesses are owned by women. This is something that needs to change."

Meg Munn MP, Vice Chair, added: "This group aims to highlight the issues that prevent more women from becoming entrepreneurs and to start proposing solutions. We'll also be looking at best practice from other countries around the world – for example, if the UK matched US levels of female entrepreneurship, there would be 900,000 more businesses in the UK."

Helen Brand, ACCA Chief Executive, said: "ACCA is proud to be acting as secretariat for this group. Its aims are very much in line with our core values of opportunity and access, and we look forward to supporting the group in its future work programme which will be examining key issues including access to finance for women and the importance of diversity of supply."

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To be added to the circulation list or for more information about the group, please contact:
Veena Hudson
Secretariat to the Women in Enterprise Group
ACCA, Head of Public Affairs
Email: Veena.Hudson@accaglobal.com
Telephone: 0207 059 5615

Note to editors
a. The aims of the Women and Enterprise Group are:
• To inform policy supporting and promoting women in enterprise
• To raise the profile of the issues associated with encouraging/enabling access for women in enterprise
• To draw on global comparisons and best policy practice from the EU, US and other countries around the world

b. The members of the group are:
Lorely Burt MP Meg Munn MP
Susan Kramer MP Rosie Cooper MP
Lynne Jones MP Lindsay Hoyle MP
Lynne Featherstone MP Jo Swinson MP

c. ACCA acts as Secretariat to the group. ACCA is the global body for professional accountants. We aim to offer business-relevant, first-choice qualifications to people of application, ability and ambition around the world who seek a rewarding career in accountancy, finance and management. We have 362,000 students and 131,500 members in 170 countries worldwide.

d. Since they began in 2000, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) bi-annual members’ surveys have found that accountants are a small business’ first choice adviser, providing a trusted source of support and advice. Given that 63,000 of ACCA’s members work in SMEs or small partnerships and many others advise their small business clients on a daily basis, we are well placed to comment on issues affecting SMEs.