Margaret Hodge, Minister of Industry and the Regions, called a Women’s Enterprise Summit in London in March in order to hear about the challenges facing women entrepreneurs. I was one of 15 entrepreneurs invited to give the Government a better understanding of the problems and barriers women face in business. Margaret Hodge will now consider whether there are any practical policies which would help to increase the number of female-owned ventures. She has proposed a follow-up meeting to which Gordon Brown will also be invited. The women entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to put forward to him their suggestions as to how the Government can encourage more women into setting up business ventures.