Ministers fear discrimination is causing more women to be made redundant

The government is becoming increasingly concerned as figures show that many more women are losing their jobs in the recession than men.

In some parts of the UK as many as twice the amount of women are being made redundant as men. Ministers fear that women being sacked are victims of discrimination by bosses attempting to avoid the costs of the introduction of longer maternity leave and flexible working rights.

A group of senior women ministers have warned Gordon Brown that the recession might harm Labour’s record on equal rights, commenting an entire generation of women could be “set back”.

The Prime Minister is taking the issue so seriously that he has agreed to set aside a session of the G20 meeting in London in April to discuss the impact of the recession on women.