Business Secretary Sajid Javid has written to country's university heads, ordering them to come up with a plan to stamp out violence against women

The Government has ordered an inquiry into the sexist 'lad culture' at the country's universities, amid fears it is endangering female students.

University heads have been ordered to lead a taskforce to look into the problem and draw up a code of practice 'to bring about cultural change'.

The order, which came from Business Secretary Sajid Javid, came after it was revealed that a quarter of students have been groped or subjected to inappropriate touching.

The number rose to 37 per cent if just taking women's answers into account.

The National Union of Students (NUS) also found two thirds of the 2,000 students polled said they had seen students have to put up with unwanted sexual comments.

Male students are known to engage in sexist 'banter', harassment and even sexual assault - particularly during Fresher's Week.

Yet a Guardian investigation found in May that fewer than half of Britain’s top universities were monitoring the extent of the problem, while one in six did not have specific guidelines for students on how to report such allegations.

But Mr Javid said this behaviour was not to be tolerated, adding that he, like all parents, would expect his three daughters to be as safe on campus as his son.

He said: 'Nobody should be put off going to university because of fears about their safety.

'If my children choose that path, I would expect my daughter to be as safe as my son on any campus in this country.

'This taskforce will ensure that universities have a plan to stamp out violence against women and provide a safe environment for all their students.

'We do not tolerate this behaviour in any part of society and I'm not prepared to let it take place on university campuses unchecked.'

He wrote to Universities UK, which represents the country's vice chancellors, this weekend, ordering the investigation.

The taskforce will also look at how complaints can be better handled and work with crime prevention officers to tackle the problem.

High numbers: Some 37 per cent of women questioned by the NUS said they had been subjected to inappropriate touching or groping, but few universities are monitoring the extent of the problem

Universities could be rated on how well they perform using a kitemark scheme that would give the stamp of approval to institutions which best tackle sexisms and violence against women.

The taskforce expected to be convened in the autumn and work over a full year.

Universities Minister Jo Johnson said: 'Universities already take their responsibilities for the safety of all students incredibly seriously.