A government plan to get more women into science, technology, engineering and maths-related (STEM) – jobs is to be launched by Liz Truss.

Ms Truss, the Foreign Secretary and equalities minister, is forming two taskforces to examine ways to boost the representation of women in STEM jobs and at the helm of start-ups.

One of the panels will come up with proposals to boost the number of women in STEM roles amid concern that a recent rise in the uptake of science, technology, engineering and maths A-levels and undergraduate courses is failing to translate into an increase in the proportion of women being hired in related careers.

Under plans being worked on by officials, one of the taskforce’s objectives will be to examine whether to introduce targets to increase the percentage of women in STEM jobs – and, if so, what the specific targets would be.

However, a source close to Ms Truss played down the likelihood of targets forming part of the Government’s final proposals, saying she preferred “equality of opportunity” rather than “equality of outcome”.

‘Giving all our talent the best chance’

The source said: “Liz thinks getting more women into STEM professions is key to keeping Britain’s economy competitive. If you look at what China and others are doing, STEM and areas like quantum and artificial intelligence are going to be critical and we need to make sure we’re giving all our talent the best chance – and that means getting more women into STEM careers.”

Ms Truss is said to see the work as a “key part” of the Government’s levelling up agenda on the basis that “STEM jobs pay more, and tend to be less tied to the political, media and finance centres of London”.

Currently, only about one in four STEM jobs is occupied by women, with a similar proportion graduating with core science, technology, engineering and maths degrees.

Last year, Ms Truss highlighted “the real issues we have in STEM, the low number of women in STEM careers which have higher earnings” as one of the most important areas of inequality on which she wanted to focus.

Research by Teach First has found that girls are being put off pursuing science to A-level because of a lack of role models.

Increasing start-up opportunities

A separate panel will be tasked with increasing the number of women-led start-ups, particularly in regions outside London. The move is intended to act on the Government’s pledge, under Theresa May, to increase the number of female entrepreneurs by 50 per cent by 2030 – the equivalent of nearly 600,000 women.

The female entrepreneurs taskforce will be asked to suggest ways to increase opportunities for potential women to run start-ups, and to encourage them to view starting a business – particularly in science, technology, engineering or maths – as a “valid career option”.

The move comes after Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor – along with Ms Truss, a potential contender to succeed Boris Johnson as Conservative leader – said he wanted Britain “to be known around the world [as] where the most accomplished ideas develop the most exciting technology and turn those into the most innovative high growth businesses … regardless of gender”.

Speaking last month, Mr Sunak said: “We are never going to achieve our vision if we are missing out on the talent, creativity and hard work of half our country’s population. This isn’t just the right thing to do, it is the economically necessary thing to do.”