New parliamentary group to bridge gap between businesses and politicians

Secretary of State for Business, Innovation & Skills Sajid Javid is introducing a new All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) to give Britain’s entrepreneurs a bigger voice in the Houses of Parliament.

Mr Javid, the MP for Bromsgrove in Worcestershire, has today (June 6) launched the APPG for Entrepreneurship to bridge the gap between businesses and politicians.

The group will aim to ensure the minds behind Britain’s thriving SME community are able to have a say in the policymaking process, in addition to keeping entrepreneurs up to date on policy changes and the ways in which their businesses will be affected.

Mr Javid said: “I want to make Britain the best place to start and grow a business by backing entrepreneurs to drive forward our economy.

“In an environment that encourages innovation and ideas, this government is championing ambition and creating jobs.”

He added: “I’m proud today to be launching the APPG for Entrepreneurship, which will make sure the voice of entrepreneurs is heard loud and clear in Parliament.”

In its first 12 months, the new APPG will focus on enterprise education, which will examine how schools, colleges and universities can equip their students with business skills; exporting, which will look at the issues holding back British firms when it comes to trading overseas; tax reform, which will assess potential tax system changes to help entrepreneurs; and female founders, which will address the problems preventing women-led companies from achieving the same economic success as those led by men.

APPG for Entrepreneurship chair Alan Mak MP commented: “The new Entrepreneurship APPG will be a key bridge between Westminster policymakers and entrepreneurs across Britain.

“Economic growth driven by innovation, exports and educational excellence is at the top of the Government’s agenda, and I’m delighted Business Secretary Sajid Javid is reaffirming his commitment to entrepreneurship by launching our APPG.”