EHRC Sex and Power Report 2011

The Sex and Power Report 2011 from the EHRC shows there is a continuing trend of women being passed over for top jobs in Britain.

The report measures the number of women in positions of power and influence across the 27 occupational categories in the public and private sectors.

The commission has calculated that at the present rate of change it will take 70 years to reach an equal number of men and women directors of FTSE 100 companies.It has also found that it could also be up to 70 years before there are an equal number of women MP's in parliament.

Among this year’s findings were:

In politics women represent:

• 22.2 per cent of MPs (up from 19.3 per cent in 2008)
• 17.4 per cent of Cabinet members (down from 26.1 per cent in 2008)
• 21.9 per cent of members of the House of Lords (up from 19.7 per cent in 2008)
• 13.2 per cent of Local authority council leaders (down from 14.3 per cent in 2008)

In business women represent:

• 12.5 per cent of directors of FTSE 100 companies (up from 11 per cent in 2008)
• 7.8 per cent of directors in FTSE 250 companies (up from 7.2 per cent in 2008)

In media and culture, women represent:

• 9.5 per cent of national newspaper editors (down from 13.6 per cent in 2008)
• 6.7 per cent of chief executives of media companies in the FTSE 350 and the director general of the BBC (down from 10.5 per cent in 2008)
• 26.1 per cent of directors of major museums and art galleries (up from 17.4 per cent in 2008)

In the public and voluntary sector, women represent:

• 12.9 per cent of senior members of the judiciary (up from 9.6 per cent in 2008)
• 22.8 per cent of local authority chief executives (up from 19.5 per cent in 2008)
• 35.5 per cent of head teachers  of secondary schools (down from 36.3 per cent in 2008)
• 14.3 per cent of university vice chancellors (down from 14.4 per cent in 2008)