Only six per cent of the engineering work force is female in the UK, according to stats from the Women’s Engineering Society.

If outright sex discrimination has declined sharply, women’s career choices, affected by motherhood and family, are still creating inequality, the research found.

Nearly 90 per cent of women in the US do net get paid any family leave.

Mothers were perceived to be less competent and less committed to paid work. Lower starting salaries were recommended for them, according to the study.