FOR THE RECORD

The Equal Pay Act of 1970 made it illegal to treat men and women differently in terms of pay or conditions of work. And yet, 46 years on, women still earn 18% less per hour than men, on average. The latest research suggests that the wage gap is smaller when comparing young women but widens consistently for 12 years after they become mothers. This is thought to be due to women losing out on wage progression, while men pull further ahead.*

The proportion of women on FTSE 100 boards now stands at 26%, up from 12% in 2011.**

We might have our second female Prime Minister, but just 29% of UK MPS are female. This puts us 36th in the global league table for women MPS, behind countries including Zimbabwe and Algeria.***