Caroline Nokes writes to Chancellor ahead of Spring Statement

Today I’ve written to the Chancellor ahead of the Spring Statement to raise the voices of female small business owners across Romsey and Southampton North.


Over recent weeks, I’ve met women running businesses in hospitality, hair and beauty, and childcare - all of them working incredibly hard to support their staff and stay afloat. But what’s clear is that many are struggling to see a future for their business. On Saturday, I visited Jemma George Hair Artistry, an award-winning salon run by Hampshire businesswoman Jemma George. From leaving school with no qualifications to running her own salon and employing apprentices. But she, like many others, is now being hit hard by changes to NICs, the rising minimum wage, energy and water bills, and the ongoing VAT issues affecting the sector.


Jemma’s message was stark: without change, there may be no future for apprenticeships in hairdressing by 2027.
I’ve invited the Chancellor to come to Hampshire, meet Jemma and other local salon owners, and hear directly about the challenges they’re facing - and the urgent need for support.

View the letter below:

Letter to the Chancellor reading: RT HON CAROLINE NOKES MP Rt Hon Rachel Reeves MP Chancellor of the Exchequer HM Treasury 1 Horse Guards Road Westminster London SW1A 2HQ HOUSE OF COMMONS LONDON SW1A 0AA Dear Rachel 26th March 2025 Over the last few weeks I have met numerous female small business owners in my Romsey and Southampton North constituency. All of them have a very simple message to you ahead of today's Spring Statement, please don't keep penalising female entrepreneurs. Whatever the sector, whether it has been hospitality, hair and beauty, childcare, what has struck me is how hard these business owners work, how they are desperate to support their staff, but they cannot see what the future looks like for their small business. This culminated on Saturday when I went to see Hampshire based business woman Jemma George, of Jemma George Hair Artistry. Jemma has a really inspirational story, she left school with no qualifications, got an apprenticeship in hairdressing, and worked her way up in the industry. She went from an apprentice, to a stylist, to a salon manager and now owns her own salon. Last year Jemma George Hair Artistry was the UK Hair and Beauty Awards Salon of the Year. Jemma now employs apprentices, gives other young women like her a chance, but is being absolutely clobbered by changes to NICs, rises in the minimum wage, rising water rates, energy bills and of course the issue many salon owners are campaigning on, VAT. As she put it to me, by 2027 there will be no more apprentices in hairdressing because she simply won't be able to afford the training. I would like you to come to Hampshire to meet Jemma, and indeed other local salon owners, to get an understanding of just how hard she works, and how worried she is for her own business, the sector in general and the future of young girls like her, who need a chance. Best wishes Rt Hon Caroline Nokes MP - REPRESENTING ROMSEY & SOUTHAMPTON NORTH IN PARLIAMENT - Telephone: 020 7219 1468 Email: caroline.nokes.mp@parliament.uk www.carolinenokes.com

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