Clegg: Labour's like Lance Armstrong, it's forgotten years of messing things up

Ms Harman claimed that any gains from tax cuts for women under the coalition had been more than eliminated by slashed tax credits, saying it was "breathtaking" that 85% of those who benefited from the cut in the top rate of tax to 45p were men.

Mr Clegg responded: "We have cut tax for 11.9 million women - the gender pay gap for women under 40 has pretty well disappeared under this coalition.

"Under Labour, only one in eight of FTSE board members, under this Government there are more women on FTSE 100 boards than ever before.

"The Labour Party is becoming the Lance Armstrong of British politics - they have forgotten the better half of a decade of how they messed things up."

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In a relatively subdued Commons - notably short on Tory backbenchers - Ms Harman began her questions by quizzing Mr Clegg on how many women he had appointed to the seven Cabinet posts under his control.

When Mr Clegg answered instead about improved pensions and more jobs for women, the Labour deputy leader joked: "You are reluctant to answer the question - normally when asked about numbers and women, you're quite forthcoming."

The apparent reference to Mr Clegg's 2008 GQ interview - in which he said he had slept with "no more than 30" women - sparked cheers from her benches, before she added: "Not one woman - this is not a Westminster point, it affects what they do.

"Since your Government brought in tribunal fees, what has been the fall in the number of sex discrimination cases?"

Mr Clegg said he did not have the figure, before adding: "Once again, you display the way you and your party are in total denial about your own record when it came to women in our country.

"Female unemployment rose 24% under Labour ... in one year, women were given a paltry 75p rise in the state pension. Scandalous.

"Through our new, fairer, single tier pension 650,000 women will get an extra £400 a year from 2016. I care more about those 650,000 women across the country than I do about anyone around the Cabinet table."

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Ms Harman said it had been a 90% fall in sex discrimination cases, adding this included women discriminated against for being pregnant.

After the Labour deputy leader moved onto the top rate of tax, which she dubbed the "millionaires tax cut", Mr Clegg described her questioning as "breathtaking".

He added the majority of those who benefited from an increased personal tax allowance were women.

Moving on to the wider Budget, Ms Harman said: "Of the £26 billion this Government has raised in changes to benefits and direct taxes, a staggering £22 billion of that has come from women. Can you explain why?"

Mr Clegg, waving his arm to encourage support from the Government benches, replied: "I think it is time to call you out on your government's record - under Labour unemployment was higher. Female unemployment was higher. Youth unemployment was higher. Inequality was higher. Child poverty was higher. Pensioner poverty was higher. Relative poverty was higher. Fuel Poverty was higher. Income tax for low and middle income earners, including millions of women, was higher.

"When will you admit your party created so much of the mess this side of the House has had to clear up since."

Ms Harman said: "You have just demonstrated you are completely out of touch with women's lives. And it is always the same with you. You talk the talk but you walk through the lobby with the Tories.

"You brief against them but always votes with them. You complain about the Autumn Statement but you sign it off. That's why people will never trust you or your party ever again."

Ending the clash, Mr Clegg said: "Do you seriously think the British people are going to trust you and Labour on the economy? Of course not. Manufacturing jobs were destroyed three times faster under them than they were under Margaret Thatcher.

"This was the party... the shadow health secretary (Andy Burnham) is sitting there demurely but he is the only man in England that has ever privatised an NHS hospital (Hinchingbrooke). You dare to lecture us.

"Inequality higher under Labour. Privatisation of the NHS under Labour. And an economy destroyed under Labour."

Mr Burnham was among the Labour MPs who challenged Mr Clegg's use of statistics and the accuracy of his statements after the questions session.

Mr Clegg left the chamber as points of order were being raised.

Raising a point of order, shadow health secretary Mr Burnham told Commons Speaker John Bercow: "I think it would appear when it comes to accuracy the Deputy Prime Minister didn't have a particularly good outing this afternoon.

"He said in the course of questions that I, as secretary of state, privatised an NHS hospital. That's not a point of debate, that's a point of sheer inaccuracy.

"Hinchingbrooke Hospital - the contract was signed under the coalition. When the previous government left office there was an NHS bidder still in the competition.

"Do you not believe the Deputy Prime Minister may have inadvertently misled the House and should return right now to correct the record?"

Mr Bercow said Mr Burnham had put the position on the record with "crystal clarity", adding it was up to Mr Clegg to decide if it would be "prudent or courteous" to return to correct the record.