Bosses could be financially accountable for diversity as gender pay gap stagnates

The 19.2% gender pay gap in Britain has barely moved in four years, despite the government pledging to eradicate it within a decade, with bank bosses the latest to feel the push for equality.

The Women and Equalities Select Committee today published a report highlighting the lack of improvement, with the gap for full- and part-time workers meaning on average women earn about 80p to every £1 earned by a man.

Unless the government pushes employers into action, women will fail to fulfil their potential, denying the economy of skills at a cost of £36billion, according to the report.

The committee said all jobs should be made “flexible by default” unless there is a strong case for them not to be.