Britain’s top companies will be warned today that the Government may force them to appoint more women to their boardrooms after the number of new female directors being appointed stalled in the past six months.

Vince Cable,the Business Secretary, said some progress had been made in the past three years in breaking through the so-called glass ceiling but added: “The momentum appears to be slowing and there has been much less progree in executive appointments.”

Dr.Cable,seen here with Karen, is writing to the 27% of FTSE 250 firms with all male boards, warning them to immediately speed up their female executive appointments.