David Cameron has warned that there will be consequences for those companies who do not make the necessary changes to their recruitment policies to ensure that more women have the same opportunities as men to advance up the ladder.

The Prime Minister will personally write to companies warning that their lack of action will not be tolerated by the Government. In February, the government set voluntary quotas for business leaders and called for them to more than double the number of women on the board by 2015.

Similarly, former trade minister Lord Davies said that top companies must employ at least 25 per cent women and gave businesses six months to outline plans to achieve this target.

Despite these efforts, nearly half of the most successful companies still do not have a single woman on their boards.

Public comments on the news do not seem favourable with some people pointing out that the government has previously pledged to cut red tape and this measure was only going to increase to it. This point seems especially relevant since the government is to spend the next three weeks thinking about ways in which t reduce red tape and wants to ask for suggestions as to how Regulations might be amended or even abolished. Business minister David Willetts said: "Businesses regularly tell us that the burden of regulation is too high.

Others believe that the best person for the job should be hired, regardless of gender. What the consequences of non compliance might be are not yet clear. So far employers must ensure that they comply with the Equality Act and recruitment has long been an area where this is monitored.

In July, the Business Secretary Vince Cable and Home Secretary Theresa May wrote to companies reminding them of the need to set targets for promoting women. Companies wishing to avoid any negative publicity or perhaps anticipate new laws or guidance are recommended to implement more equal systems of promotion sooner rather than later. Ultimately, however, until it is enshrined in law, if ever, it is likely that the best person will be hired for the job. There will always be an argument that the better person for the hob was a male rather than a female candidate and so this is an area where there will likely always be some contention. Companies need to balance getting the right person for the job alongside ensuring that they do not discriminate against women. The best way of doing this is to have clear policies and to follow them.