SCOTLAND has the UK's worst gender pay gap with females in management roles paid almost £11,000 less on average than their male counterparts, a new report claims.

The study has also found Scots-based women were among the UK's biggest losers when it comes to earning bonuses receiving considerably less then men who were also more likely to secure promotion.

Research by the Chartered Management Institute (CMI) following 60,000 interviews across the UK, shows the gender pay gap in Scotland now stands at 29.2 per cent, representing a £10,862 difference in salaries between men and women in equal positions.

Read more: Playing the bagpipes could prove fatal, research reveals

East Anglia was the runner-up in the pay divide league table with average salaries between men and women showing a £9000 gap.

Campaigners say the figures should same Scotland and highlighted "persistent and entrenched inequalities" in the workplace.

"Despite there being so much focus on the disparity between men and women's pay and legislation in place for almost 50 years, we have a 29 per cent gap in pay for men and women in Scotland," said Talat Yaqoob, chair of Women 5050, which campaigns for equal representation at the Westminster Parliament.

"That should appal us all.

"But this disparity cannot come as a surprise when Scotland highest decision making body, the Scottish Parliament, still has a gender gap of its own, with only 35 per cent women's MSPs."

This view was echoed by Anna Ritchie, of the Close the Gap campaign, who said the disparity in pay was not limited to management level roles.

She said: "[This focus] distracts from the experiences of the large numbers of women in undervalued, low-paid jobs such as care, cleaning and retail, for whom employment is becoming increasingly precarious with a rise in temporary and zero hours contracts.

Read more: Playing the bagpipes could prove fatal, research reveals

“This annual survey is useful for highlighting the persistent and entrenched inequalities that women face at work."

Figures from the CMI study appear to be much starker than those published in June by the UK Office for National Statistics. Then, official numbers suggested that the pay gap for the full-time work force - not solely at management level - had reduced substantially from 18.4 per cent in 1997 to 7.3 per cent in 2015.

But the CMI research was complimented by a second report released today which shows women face a widening pay gap with their male counterparts once they start a family.

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) found that while the overall "gender wage gap" had narrowed over the past two decades, women with children were falling behind.

The Chartered Management Institute and XpertHR report claims that across the UK male managers are 40 per cent more likely than female managers to be promoted into higher roles.

Read more: Playing the bagpipes could prove fatal, research reveals

The difference in promotion rates is, the report claims, one of the main causes of the gender pay gap, which it says remains largely unchanged this year at 23.1 per cent compared with 22.8 per cent in 2015.

It said the average full-time equivalent salary for male managers was £38,817, £8,964 more than a female equivalent, with the pay gap even higher for those in the ranks of director and CEO.

In Scotland, where 3100 employees were interviewed as part of the survey, men received an average bonus nearly 64 per cent, or £3,336, more than women.

Unite Scotland equalities officer Elaine Dougall said: “This research shows that even when women finally break the glass ceiling and get into management positions, they are still unfairly overlooked for further promotion and continue to suffer pay discrimination."

Hugh Aitken, CBI Scotland director, explained that the gender pay gap was complex and "caused by a wide range of factors".

He said today's day indicated "there is a way to go" to address the problem but said pay gaps should not be confused wih unequal pay which is already illegal".

“Building inclusive workplaces in which there is opportunity for all, including routes to promotion for high performers, must be a priority for firms," he said.

Ann Francke, chief executive of CMI, said: “Promoting men ahead of women is keeping us all back. Diversity delivers better financial results, better culture and better decision making. Transparency and targets are what we need to deal with stubborn problems like the gender pay gap.”