The Tories have been warned over the "gender glass ceiling" faced by women in Government as the worst-hit department admitted its own figures were "incredibly disappointing".
Gender pay gap figures published quietly last week show the Cabinet Office performed worst of most Whitehall departments, with men paid 16.6% more than women on average on March 31 2022.
The department, which is meant to drive performance across Government, reported that its median pay gap had risen by 6.8% since last year, and the mean had increased by 1.5% over the same period.
Female staff in the Cabinet Office received an average of £783 on average less in bonuses than their male counterparts, the report said.
Alongside data slipped out last week, Cabinet Office gender pay gap champion Elizabeth Gardiner admitted the rise was "incredibly disappointing".
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PA)She said: "Women are underrepresented in the more senior grades, with a decrease in representation in comparison to last year.
"There is clearly much work to be done."
Analysis by Labour of departmental gender pay gap reporting found the Cabinet Office performed worst in Whitehall at 11.4%, compared to the Home Office on 6.7% and the Treasury on 6.5%.
Labour's Deputy Leader Angela Rayner said: “It speaks volumes that Rishi Sunak's central department, responsible for setting an example to the rest of government, has the biggest gender pay gap across all departments.
“The Cabinet Office themselves have admitted this is “incredibly disappointing”.
"These findings speak to a wider culture of women being held back and facing a gender glass ceiling in government. It sets a terrible precedent for women working across the public sector.
“The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster must now explain why his department is lagging so far behind and outline what action he is taking to turn the tide.”
A Cabinet Office spokesperson said: “While the latest data shows there are proportionally more women employed in the Civil Service than ever before and the median gender pay gap across government is falling, there's clearly more to do.
"We need a Civil Service bringing in the very best talent from across the country, and that is what our new ministers are focused on."
