Bosses at the Treasury and Bank of England have been told to recruit more women after they sparked a sexism row by shunning females competing for top jobs at the organisations.
Nicky Morgan, head of the Treasury select committee, has written to economic chiefs to demand they do far more to promote diversity among their senior teams.
The senior MP made the move after the Treasury sparked outrage by choosing the only man on a female dominated shortlist for a senior job at the Bank of England.
Economics professor Jonathan Haskel was appointed to the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) even though eight of the nine current members are men.
The controversial decision was made public last month just hours after Government officials blasted boardroom bosses for failing to appoint enough women to top jobs.
Mrs Morgan and her parliamentary colleagues had threatened not to endorse Mr Haskell in protest at the ‘truly staggering’ decision.
Nicky Morgan, head of the Treasury select committee, has written to economic chiefs to demand they do far more to promote diversity among their senior teams (file pic)
Nicky Morgan issued the stern rebuke in letters (pictured) to banking and Treasury bosses
They have ducked out of delivering this rarely used censure – but Mrs Morgan has written to put both institutions on notice to do far more to promote diversity.
She said: ‘Since October, only three out of 10 public appointments and reappointments to the bank’s committees have been women.
‘With the bank’s female representation in senior management roles at the bank decreasing to 29 per cent last year, it seems increasingly unlikely that the bank will meet its own diversity strategy to have 35 per cent female participation in senior management positions by 2020.
‘Recruitment practices and workplace culture are often barriers to women progressing to the most senior levels.
‘The bank and the Treasury must explain how they will address such barriers to improve the diversity in public appointments.
Bank of England chief Mark Carney (pictured on Wednesday)was told by the senior MP to do more to promote diversity among his senior team
‘The Treasury Committee is prepared to take progress on this matter into account in the next appointment made to any of the Bank of England’s policy committee.’
A Treasury spokesman said: ‘We are committed to diversity and encouraging the broadest range of candidates.
‘That is why 71 per cent of recent new appointments to the bank have been women.
‘There is more to do and we are working with the public and private sectors to ensure that we are attracting a diverse range of candidates.’
Theresa May has pledged to tackle the ‘burning injustices’ which still blight Britain and to promote diversity.
Buy women and people from ethic minorities say there is still a glass ceiling which makes it far harder for them to get the most senior jobs.