'Sir Humphreys' in decline

Women are winning more top jobs in the civil service, official figures have revealed. The number among Whitehall's most senior mandarins has risen by 76 per cent in three years.

The trend threatens to sweep away the traditional image of white, male Oxbridge types, such as Yes Minister's "Sir Humphrey", who run the country no matter which party is in power.

A woman, Rachel Lomax, is in the running to become the first female Cabinet Secretary - Whitehall's top job. Sir Richard Wilson is retiring from the £245,000-a-year role and a successor should be named within days.

Ministers say the change follows their orders for family-friendly working practices in the civil service. Officials are now encouraged to work flexible hours, work from home and even try job-sharing so parents can combine their careers with bringing up children. Women singled out as high-flyers are given special coaching by their managers to help them win promotion.

In 1998, only 72 of the top 600 civil servants were women. By last October, the number had jumped to 127 - approaching the Government's target of 150, which it aims to reach by 2005.

Among the most senior 3,000 civil servants, the proportion of women rose from 18 per cent to 25 per cent.

Government sources compared the success with the situation in City boardrooms where only two per cent of directors of FTSE 100 companies are female.

The First Division Association, the Whitehall union representing senior civil servants, said the statistics proved progress was being made.

Spokesman Simon Moore said: "I think more has been done to tackle the barriers against women climbing up the career ladder than in the past. There are better career paths and more options for flexible working."

However, a Labour pledge to boost the number of senior civil servants from ethnic minorities has met with less success. The proportion has risen from 1.6 per cent in 1998 to 2.3 per cent three years later, still well below their proportion in the workforce.

One of the biggest winners from family-friendly policies is a man. Suma Chakrabarti, 42, has a £120,000-a-year contract which allows him to spend time with his daughter. He works a maximum 40 hours a week, as permanent secretary of the Department for International Development.