Equal number of female MPs 'long way off'

THE Government said yesterday that there is a "long way to go" on the number of female MPs but expressed hope the next parliament would be more diverse.

Women fill less than 20 per cent of Commons seats, and this needs to increase to 50 per cent it said in an official response to a report from a cross-party group commissioned to investigate under-representation.

The report suggested in January that political parties should be set quotas for the number of women put forward as parliamentary candidates.

It urged that the move must be considered if there was not a "significant" increase in female MPs after the general election.