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Britain’s security agencies were told to to tap into parent forum Mumsnet to recruit new spies yesterday as an inquiry revealed how women in the industry are being held back.
According to the parliamentary intelligence and security committee (ISC), middle management at MI5, MI6 and GCHQ is conservative and male.
“It is clear to us there are those at middle management level — referred to by some as ‘the permafrost’ — who have a very traditional male mentality and outlook,” said ISC member and Labour MP Hazel Blears.
Women make up 37 per cent of the workforce at the three intelligence agencies, yet only 19 per cent of senior roles are occupied by a woman.
As part of the measures recommended by the committee to address this problem the ISC urged the agencies to take to Mumsnet to recruit the new generation of female spies.
