CAREER WOMEN TREATED AS SECOND CLASS

5.10.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 9th May 2006

Following the publication of national income statistics by the DTI showing that women earn only 55% of the annual income of men, Women and Equalities Spokesperson, Lorely Burt, called on the Government to put in place tangible steps to allow career development.

Commenting, Lorely Burt said:

"Government mishandling of the pay gap has been nigh on inconceivable. We are currently in a situation where funding to the Equal Opportunities has actually been cut from last month by 10% and yet only one woman in for every five men earns over £900 a week.

"The Government has simply been paying lip-service to the issue and has not gone far enough in providing women with support in the workplace.

"Furthermore, with the removal of the Home Computing Initiative the Government is actually reducing the workplace flexibility and ushering in a regression in the work/life balance."

ENDS