Minutes of the 2020 Annual General Meeting
/5th February 2020
Grimond Room, Portcullis House
Present: Seema Malhotra MP, Bim Afolami MP, Gagan Mohindra MP, Saqib Bhatti MP, Craig Williams MP, Rob Roberts MP, Dean Russell MP, Lord Leigh of Hurley, Lord Bilimoria, Baroness Neville-Jones, Lord Lucas, Philip Salter (The Entrepreneurs Network), Annabel Denham (The Entrepreneurs Network), Katrina Sale (Coordinator, APPG for Entrepreneurship), Dom Hallas (Coadec), Joel Gladwin (Coadec), Matt Smith (Centre for Entrepreneurs), Simon Mcvicker (IPSE), Dr Chris Hayley (Nesta).
Elections:
Seema Malhotra was unanimously re-elected as Chair and Registered Contact for the APPG.
Dr Lisa Cameron MP was re-elected as Vice-Chair.
Rachel Maclean MP was re-elected as Vice-Chair.
Lord Bilimoria was re-elected as Vice-Chair.
Lord Leigh of Hurley was elected as Vice-Chair.
Gillian Keegan was re-elected as an Officer.
Lord Cromwell was re-elected as an Officer.
Baroness Kramer was re-elected as an Officer.
Baroness Neville-Jones was re-elected as an Officer.
Bim Afolami MP was elected as an Officer.
The following Parliamentarians have joined the Group as Members:
Lord Lucas
Bob Blackman MP
Baroness Kingsmill
Baroness Wolf
Fiona Bruce MP
Catherine West MP
Rob Roberts MP
Jerome Mayhew MP
James Daly MP
Saqib Bhatti MP
Ian Liddell-Granger MP
Katherine Fletcher MP
Selaine Saxby MP
Dean Russell MP
Nick Fletcher MP
Gagan Mohindra MP
Craig Williams MP
Update from the Secretariat (The Entrepreneurs Network):
Philip Salter announced that there will be a change in approach in 2020 and beyond. The APPG will not only host events and conduct research in its own right, it will also become a conduit for other events. The APPG will be hosting an event for the launch of a new Tech Nation report, for example, and for an event with the EIS Association.
This, Philip explained, is why the APPG now has an advisory board, to help encourage other organisations to hold parliamentary launches and get their research into the hands of politicians and policymakers. The Advisory Board members are:
Annabel Denham, Head of the Female Founders Forum
Dom Hallas, Executive Director, Coadec
Emma Jones MBE, Founder, Enterprise Nation
Simon Mcvicker, Director of Policy, IPSE
Matt Smith, Director, Centre for Entrepreneurs
Liz Stevenson, Communications and Stakeholder Affairs Director, Tech Nation
Philip also announced that the APPG will be doing events with the Enterprise Research Centre. He thanked Seema Malhotra MP for her Chairmanship to date.
Seema Malhotra MP thanked The Entrepreneurs Network for work done and praised the APPG as a “tremendous asset in Parliament”.
Policy Areas
Lord Leigh of Hurley worries about the future of Entrepreneurs’ Relief. His concerns were echoed by Dom Hallas of Coadec. The APPG, it was suggested, should call for a consultation and review of the Relief. Philip Salter proposed a roundtable. Seema Malhotra agreed. Attendees were in unison that the APPG should engage with government on the issue.
Lord Lucas suggested antitrust as an area the APPG could explore.
Dr Chris Hayley announced Nesta is undertaking research around public procurement. This is a long-term project, but he will keep the APPG informed and assured attendees (especially Welsh MPs) that this would be a UK-wide (rather than just England) project. He also suggested addressing corporate venture capital, concerns that it kills competition, and questions around whether we should view it in a positive light.
Lord Bilimoria suggested three avenues of support or opportunity. First – the CBI, of which he is Vice President. Second – business schools. Third – EEUK, of which he is patron. Philip Salter explained that the APPG has engaged with EEUK in the past on research.
Dom Hallas made known that Coadec will be publishing a paper with the British Business Bank around access to finance – particularly for tech entrepreneurs – and how the UK can get more institutional capital into the venture market.
Dean Russell MP, former entrepreneur and startup partner with London & Partners, has had “coal face experience”. He thinks the APPG could offer guidance to startups in the initial phases – to prevent unnecessary business burn out. Sustainability is a challenge, he said, and support around pitching could help.
Matt Smith announced work the Centre for Entrepreneurs is undertaking research around university incubators, diversity and inclusion, refugees and practical support for would-be entrepreneurs serving time. Philip Salter suggested larger events championing this work.
Seema Malhotra MP concluded that:
The APPG should consider Adjournment or Westminster Hall debates;
Internationalisation could be a policy area in 2020;
The APPG should address access to finance and home-grown venture capital.
AOB
The meeting concluded and Seema was congratulated on her re-election as Chair.