Obligatory quotas for the number of women put forward for selection as a parliamentary candidate by each political party have been proposed. The conference on diversity issues was commissioned by the prime minister.
It wants the parties either to improve the representation of women at the 2010 general election, or face mandatory quotas for the next one.

The near-50% number of female members in Welsh Assembly could drop below 30% in 2011 amid retirements and changes in party selection procedures. In 2003, 30 of the 60 members were women, which rose to 31 after a by-election in 2006.

Now the Institute of Welsh Affairs (IWA) has warned that the current tally of 28 women AMs is poised to fall to 20 or fewer at the next election.