Priti Patel backs proposals to promote self-employment
Speaking in Parliament in a debate on the merits of promoting self employment to young people, Priti Patel highlights the challenge of getting started and backs the concept of a youth investment fund to provide funding or incentives to becoming self-employed.
Priti Patel (Witham) (Con): I come from a small business family. My parents were immigrants to this country and it is interesting to see the number of immigrants who are self-employed. My hon. Friend’s premise is to get young people engaged in self-employment. Does he agree that part of the challenge is getting started, which is always very difficult, particularly for young people who feel insecure about doing so? Does he also agree with the concept of a youth investment fund to provide Government funding or incentives that give people a cushion and confidence to develop their own ideas to become self-employed?
Richard Harrington: I appreciate that comment, because I intend to address the youth investment fund, which is important. Indeed, Sir Richard Branson has expressed an interest in this debate. He is elsewhere in the House at the moment and will join us later. The fund is important, but it is just one aspect and I hope to come back to it shortly.
