Vince Cable has appointed Lorely Burt to a new role aimed at promoting and supporting female entrepreneurs. From the Yorkshire Post:

Liberal Democrat MP Lorely Burt will help women-led businesses to understand the help available to their new and growing firms.

She started her career in the prison service and rose to become assistant governor at HMP Holloway, a tough female-only prison in North London.

Ms Burt later worked for companies including Beecham and Europcar in the field of personnel and training before setting up her own training company.

Mr Cable said: “Lorely will bring a wealth of experience to this role, having worked in and started up her own business.

“She is not only a role model for other female entrepreneurs, but will be an ambassador for the support currently available to ambitious women-led firms.

“Female-led businesses currently make up 20 per cent of small and medium sized businesses, and it’s important when women consider starting their own businesses they know more about the support and help on offer, and the opportunities available.”

Lorely said:

Just 20 per cent of British businesses are owned and controlled by women. This is a shocking waste of entrepreneurial talent that should be enriching customers, businesses and our economy generally.

My job will be to investigate the true picture of women’s enterprise in Britain and how Government can encourage existing and would-be entrepreneurs reach their full potential – I can’t wait.

BIS has a formidable team of women in place. Lorely joins Jo Swinson(whose maternity leave is being covered by  Jenny Willott) introducing revolutionary shared parental leave, strengthening consumer rights, tackling payday lenders introducing a grocery adjudicator to make sure suppliers get a fair price from supermarkets.

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