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Companies may be forced to publish figures on the pay difference between male and female employees, in changes to the government's equality bill.

Business leaders are predicting the new rules could see league tables of firms created, relating to pay equalities within the company.

The new changes could occur as the government is currently amending the equality bill, due to be published early this year, which would force firms to publish pay details in their annual accounts.

Changes to the bill have been criticised by some industry groups and the Confederation of British Industry says it would do little to tackle inequality.

Lady Prosser, deputy chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission, states the move would give a good picture of who is lagging behind when it comes to equality.

'That's not a good image to have and those firms will just have to do something about it if they don't want to be embarrassed,' she adds.

John Wright, chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses, states he hopes some provision will be given to the impact of these auditing services on small firms.

Currently men are paid on average 17.1 per cent more than women when in full-time work, with figures from the Office of National Statistics showing the gap is larger for part-time employees.

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