The government has been urged to take concerted action to tackle female under-representation in the workplace. 

In a report published today, the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee says that progress to achieve workplace equality has stalled.

The report recommends that the government sets targets to encourage women into apprenticeships, where they are currently under-represented. It identifies science, technology and engineering as sectors of particular concern.

And it wants the government to clarify to business what will be done if targets for increasing the number of women on boards are not achieved.

Adrian Bailey MP, chair of the Business, Innovation and Skills Committee, says: “The government has demonstrated a welcome commitment to improving the representation of women on boards. It must now show the same commitment to addressing their under-representation in certain sectors of the economy. This should include a willingness to set targets, and if necessary to regulate.”