Prime Minister Theresa May has declined to set a target for when half her Cabinet ministers will be women.
Despite two recent mini reshuffles, only a third of those around Mrs May’s Cabinet table are female – a total of six women and 17 men.
She has just undertaken a three-day visit to the Middle East, stopping in Jordan, Iraq and the conservative Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Theresa May meets Saudi King Salman in Riyadh (AP)
While in Saudi Arabia, she discussed and reiterated her support of Vision 2030 – reforms being set out by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, which include increasing the number of women in work.
Asked by reporters if she would set a target for when half the Cabinet would be women, Mrs May said: “I am very pleased with the fact that I have good women sitting around that cabinet table doing a good job.
“I was pleased obviously when I made recent Cabinet changes, I was able to bring a new female Secretary of State into the Cabinet and behind her actually bring on some young female ministers as well – including a new female minister of the 2015 intake.”
Pressed as to why only a third of her Cabinet are women, the Prime Minister said: “We have good women sitting around the Cabinet table and if you look through the ministerial appointments that I have made, there are a number of women there and I was very pleased in recent times to be able to bring on somebody from the 2015 intake.
“We have got some good women who are getting experience in the House of Commons who I am sure will make excellent ministers, including around the Cabinet table in the future.”