§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent measures have been taken to foster entrepreneurship in Coventry. [59008]
§ Alan JohnsonThe Small Business Service, working through its restructured national network of Business Links, provides information, advice, and access to experts on all aspects of starting and running a business.
638W Additionally, it has this month launched a consultation on "A Comprehensive Strategy for Start-Ups" which looks to strengthen and increase the UK's business stock.
Business Link Coventry and Warwickshire directly assist around 300 companies a year to start trading. Recognising the need to have a more proactive and coordinated approach they convened a meeting of local partners, Local Authorities, the University Science Park, and Local Development Agencies, in February of this year. As a result of this meeting, they have agreed to work more closely together, and to adopt measures to increase the number of Start ups in Coventry and the surrounding areas.
Two of the partners, Coventry and Warwickshire Co-operative Development Agency, and the Women's Business Development Agency with the support of the Business Link have both received funding from the SBS's Phoenix Fund. Over £500,000 has been awarded to these two projects to help support Women Entrepreneurs across the Region and Social Entrepreneurship in the most deprived wards in the Coventry area.