The Church of England has become the latest institution be be embroiled in the gender pay gap controversy as it published figures showing that men are paid 41 per cent more than women in its central office.

The statistics, published as part of new rules which require companies to publish data setting out their gender pay gap, show that median pay for men is £45,072, compared to £31,900 for women.

The figures, which cover 452 employees of the National Church Institutions, the central office of the Church, also show that in the top pay band almost two thirds of staff (64 per cent) are male, and 74 per cent of the lowest-paid staff are female.

The figures, which do not include clergy, also show that bonuses for male investment staff are significantly larger on average, with men receiving £10,150 compared to women's average of £4,475.

The Church also published data based on the mean pay, which showed men earning 27 per cent more than women.

All organisations with more than 250 employees must publish data showing their gender pay gaps by April next year.

Last month the BBC was criticised after it was revealed that its highest-paid female star, Claudia Winkleman, earned less than a quarter of the salary of its best-paid male star, Chris Evans.