Bond girls' pay could remain an MI6 secret

Sexy, dangerous and willing is how James Bond liked his women - gender equality never crossed his mind.

Now, in a move which no doubt would win his approval, MI6 may escape the full force of Harriet Harman's equality crusade.

The Government Equalities Office is considering exempting the intelligence service, MI5 and the Government's GCHQ listening centre from having to publish details highlighting any gender pay gap in their ranks.

Britain's spy chiefs have been recruiting more women and individuals from ethnic minorities and are eager to kill off the image of the service filled with James Bond-type characters recruited from Oxford or Cambridge.

But MI6, MI5, GCHQ and military units working with them may not have to publish pay gaps for their staff under the Equality Bill because of security concerns.

A Government Equalities Office spokeswoman said no final decision had been made.

The Foreign Office, MI6 and MI5 were named recently as Whitehall departments where the gender pay gap has widened.