Pam Alexander - South East England Development Agency (SEEDA)

9th March 2009

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ePolitix.com speaks to Pam Alexander, chief executive of the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA), about women's enterprise.

Question: What are the current figures for women's enterprise in the UK?

Pam Alexander: Women's enterprise currently accounts for an estimated £130bn of the economy per annum. There are around 602,000 majority women-led businesses in the UK, representing just 14 per cent of all business. If the UK had the same levels of female entrepreneurship as the US, there would be 900,000 more UK businesses. That represents an enormous untapped potential to boost the national economy.

Question: Has the UK looked to the US for inspiration to improve its figures for women' enterprise?

Pam Alexander: Yes - five regional development agencies, supported by the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, are rolling out piloted women's business centres and services, based upon the successful US Women's Business Centre model. These will provide tailored business support to aspiring women business owners across the country.

Question: What kind of help can an aspiring businesswoman gain by accessing this new service?

Pam Alexander: The women's business centres and service being piloted by the RDAs will offer a range of women-friendly business support services both available online and rolled out at regional premises. In the South East, SEEDA will soon be launching Women's Business Services (WBS) across the region, including a centre in Chatham. The centre is the first physical WBC centre in the UK and will be dedicated to supporting women across the region from disadvantaged and hard to reach communities.

Question: How will an increase in women's enterprise benefit the economy?

Pam Alexander: Women starting up in business will tend to provide a more immediate contribution to the economy, as around one in five women come into self-employment from unemployment compared with around one in fifteen for men. Self-employment could be an alternative career option for many of the women leaving employment in the South East.

Question: What benefits would come from encouraging women to trade internationally?

Pam Alexander: Exploiting and accessing new markets can help to sustain a business, especially in a recession. Research shows that women are less likely to be exporters and tend to have more localised markets, so we need to raise their knowledge and confidence in international trade.