By . Tom Mctague, Mail Online Deputy Political Editor . Toy makers were today urged to make chemistry and building sets more appealing to girls in a drive to get more women into science. Women's minister Jenny Willott met with toy shop bosses and manufacturers as part of a drive to boost those number of girls taking physics and maths qualifications. Ministers claim the focus on girls-only toys risks deterring young women from breaking into male-dominated - and lucrative - professions including science, mathematics and engineering. Labour MP Chi Onwurah fears the focus on so-called 'girls toys' will deter a generation of you g women from perusing a career in science and engineering . The way toys are packaged and marketed towards boys will be looked at following today's meeting, the Government said. Ms Willott said: 'Today was an important first step in looking at how well made well marketed toys can encourage girls to take an interest in science and engineering - traditionally male dominated territory. 'Today we agreed to work together to look at customers' attitudes to toys and the choices they make in buying them.' Toy shops and manufacturers have faced criticism for dictating which products are aimed at girls and boys. Examples include a Science Museum toy kit labelled for boys while Sports Direct faced a backlash for selling  miniature dustpans and brushes branded ‘girls stuff’. Labour MP Chi Onwurah said: ‘This aggressive gender segregation is a consequence of big company marketing tactics.’ She accused manufacturers of pushing blue toys at boys and pink for girls to charge a ‘premium’ for things like Princess saddles and Action Man handlebars on bicycles. It also makes it more difficult for toys, bikes and clothes to be passed on to friends and relatives if they are gender-specific. Responding to the debate in February this year, Ms Willott said the focus on pink-only toys means 'we don't encourage girls to believe in their own potential'. She added: 'The way we play as children informs the skills we develop and girls and boys take the assumptions they have when playing into the classroom.'Boys who are confidence about designing and building things with Lego are more likely to pursue jobs in architecture, physics and maths, she said. 'Girls feel less confidence and it is a small step to assuming they are less skilled in those subjects.' Education minister Elizabeth Truss has said companies marketing chemistry sets only at boys was the ‘antithesis of what we want to promote’ in the state school system. Business Minister Jenny Willott warned pink toys make girls think they are not good at subjects which involve designing and building while Labour MP Chi Onwurah said firms used pink and blue to increase profits . Avalanche of pink: A comparison by campaign group Let Toys Be Toys shows how in the Seventies, left, toys were in a variety of colours while today girls are pushed to embrace one shade . Charlotte wrote ''All the girls did was sit at home, go to the beach, and shop, and they had no jobs but the boys went on adventures, worked, saved people, and had jobs, even swam with sharks'
Lib Dem women's minister Jenny Willott met with toy manufacturers today .
Urged them to help drive to get more young women into sciences .
Came after ministers warned gender-specific toys mean girls lack confidence .
Manufactures accused of pushing princesses and fairies to increase profits .
Retailers hauled in by government to explain their marketing policies .
By . Tom Mctague, Mail Online Deputy Political Editor . Toy makers were today urged to make chemistry and building sets more appealing to girls in a drive to get more women into science. Women's minister Jenny Willott met with toy shop bosses and manufacturers as part of a drive to boost those number of girls taking physics and maths qualifications. Ministers claim the focus on girls-only toys risks deterring young women from breaking into male-dominated - and lucrative - professions including science, mathematics and engineering. Labour MP Chi Onwurah fears the focus on so-called 'girls toys' will deter a generation of you g women from perusing a career in science and engineering . The way toys are packaged and marketed towards boys will be looked at following today's meeting, the Government said. Ms Willott said: 'Today was an important first step in looking at how well made well marketed toys can encourage girls to take an interest in science and engineering - traditionally male dominated territory. 'Today we agreed to work together to look at customers' attitudes to toys and the choices they make in buying them.' Toy shops and manufacturers have faced criticism for dictating which products are aimed at girls and boys. Examples include a Science Museum toy kit labelled for boys while Sports Direct faced a backlash for selling miniature dustpans and brushes branded ‘girls stuff’. Labour MP Chi Onwurah said: ‘This aggressive gender segregation is a consequence of big company marketing tactics.’ She accused manufacturers of pushing blue toys at boys and pink for girls to charge a ‘premium’ for things like Princess saddles and Action Man handlebars on bicycles. It also makes it more difficult for toys, bikes and clothes to be passed on to friends and relatives if they are gender-specific. Responding to the debate in February this year, Ms Willott said the focus on pink-only toys means 'we don't encourage girls to believe in their own potential'. She added: 'The way we play as children informs the skills we develop and girls and boys take the assumptions they have when playing into the classroom.'Boys who are confidence about designing and building things with Lego are more likely to pursue jobs in architecture, physics and maths, she said. 'Girls feel less confidence and it is a small step to assuming they are less skilled in those subjects.' Education minister Elizabeth Truss has said companies marketing chemistry sets only at boys was the ‘antithesis of what we want to promote’ in the state school system. Business Minister Jenny Willott warned pink toys make girls think they are not good at subjects which involve designing and building while Labour MP Chi Onwurah said firms used pink and blue to increase profits . Avalanche of pink: A comparison by campaign group Let Toys Be Toys shows how in the Seventies, left, toys were in a variety of colours while today girls are pushed to embrace one shade . Charlotte wrote ''All the girls did was sit at home, go to the beach, and shop, and they had no jobs but the boys went on adventures, worked, saved people, and had jobs, even swam with sharks'
girls in a drive to get more women into science. Women's minister Jenny Willott met with toy shop on girls-only toys risks deterring young women manufacturers of pushing blue toys at boys and increase profits . Avalanche of pink: A