This is the main result of the government’s pay gap report which shows the number of men and women completely equal when the ‘snapshot’ showing a workforce of 280, which has since grown to 380, was analysed.

The difference is higher, at 29.5%, when the *mean gender pay gap is calculated.

When bonuses are separately accounted for, the median and mean gaps are greater, at 83.5% and 45.8% respectively.

Mark Allen, the chairman of MAG, said: “The gender pay gap does not look good and we must work very hard to improve matters. The company is totally and utterly committed to ensuring both men and women in the company are treated fairly and equally. However, the main problem that confronts us is one of over representation of men in senior management roles rather than unequal pay per se. We also have a much higher representation of males in commissionable sales roles, which partly explains the gap in the bonus calculations between the genders”.

He explained that there were many factors that skewed the results. “Over the last few years we have acquired a number of companies, as well as publishing and event assets. In nearly every case, men have been in senior and dominant positions in these companies and business units when we have acquired them.

“The situation is more complex and less straightforward than what appears and goes right to the roots of society. Many women are disadvantaged through having stop-start careers as they have tended to take on more of the responsibilities when starting a family. Men tend to accept senior roles more willingly than women that involve working at the weekends and travel with the result that, rightly or wrongly, they earn more. However, this is far from a justification. It is not right or in society’s interests for women to be marginalised and we as a company must strive much harder to ensure greater parity.”

He said that the company had a management talent policy. “We are desperately keen for more women to assume senior management roles and become directors. Our main company, Mark Allen Holdings, has a board of 10, all great people, but only two women fill those seats. The word will go out that we must look even more closely at identifying women for more senior management and director roles. However, we can’t change the complexion at a stroke. This will not happen overnight and will take time.”

* ‘Median’ pay gap is the difference between the midpoints in the ranges of hourly earnings of men and women. It takes all salaries in the sample, lines them up in order from lowest to highest and picks the middle salary. ‘Mean’ gender pay gap is the difference between the average hourly earnings of men and women.