Women working full-time are paid less than men in 90% of sectors, including engineering, according to a new report by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES)(www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-commission-for-employment-and-skills).

Vicki Belt, assistant director of the commission, said: “The stark findings on pay are further compounded by the fact that female students out-perform males at all levels of education, from GCSEs and A-Levels through to university and post-graduate studies, making them more likely to be highly skilled and qualified.

“This research brings home the bleak reality of gender inequality at work in the UK. In spite of women’s real achievements in education, the gender pay gap stubbornly remains. Our research shows that occupational segregation is a key factor at play here; women are under-represented in a range of sectors and occupations that offer higher-paying roles — for example, fewer than 10% of British engineers are female.”

Ms Belt said the UKCES welcomed the news that the Government is to bring more transparency to this area by introducing a requirement for the public sector and larger firms to publish information on gender pay differences.