Sex bias in Commons 'will take 200 years to tackle'

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

The Equal Opportunities Commission stressed that only 20 per cent of MPs are women and challenged Prime Minister Gordon Brown to tackle the problem.

In a final report, before it becomes part of the Commission for Equality and Human Rights, the EOC said it would take 195 years for this imbalance of the sexes in Parliament to be rectified.

The commission's chairwoman Jenny Watson said: "Today, most women work and many men no longer define themselves as breadwinners. Despite many advances, Britain's institutions have not caught up.

"This is a challenge that Gordon Brown urgently needs to address."

The gender gap in the boardrooms of the FTSE 100 companies would take 65 years to close, the "pensions gap", meaning retired women are left with 40 per cent less income than men, may take almost half a century, while the "pay gap" would take around 23 years.

The EOC also stressed that women working part-time are paid 38 per cent less than men and 17 when full-time.

The EOC published its report on 22 benchmarks to try to influence its successor organisation, which will be chaired by Trevor Phillips, former chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality.

The commission set five goals of closing the income gap, sharing power equally, equal access to justice and safety, better support for families and modernising public services.