DARLINGTON MP Alan Milburn today urged the Government to encourage more children from average income families to aspire to professional careers.

Former health secretary Alan Milburn expressed his shock that professions such as law, medicine, media and banking had become more not less socially exclusive.

Introducing the findings of his first report as chair of the Government-commissioned Panel on Fair Access to the Professions, Mr Milburn said many bright children were missing out.

The report found that over half of professional occupations like law and finance were dominated by people from independent schools, which are attended by just seven per cent of the population.

Some 75 per cent of judges and 45 per cent of top civil servants were privately schooled, the research found.

By contrast, the teaching and cultural professions saw a decline in the numbers of people from above average income families.

Mr Milburn, a former Cabinet minister, said that while progress had been made, there was still a long way to go to ensure young people had equal opportunities in the professions.

He said: "It is shocking that despite the best efforts of many professions they seem to have become more not less socially exclusive.

"Bright children from middle class families as well as those from poorer backgrounds are missing out on top professional jobs.

"Many professions are working hard to put this right, but their efforts need to be intensified.

"Both the professions and the Government have to do more to widen the talent pool if Britain is to recruit the estimated 7 million new professionals we will need by 2020."

He later told BBC Radio 4s The World At One that 'a not for the likes of me syndrome' had set in among children in average income families.

Mr Milburn made a surprise return to the political front line in January when he was appointed by the Prime Minister to head the new panel of industry leaders charged with identifying and removing obstacles to people from disadvantaged backgrounds getting into the professions.

The panel's first report stresses that many professions have already taken action to address access issues, and suggests that the link between family background and levels of educational attainment is weakening.

But currently only one in five young people from average backgrounds and one in eight youngsters from poorer backgrounds aspire to be a professional.

This compares to two in five young people whose parents already have professional careers.

The Fair Access Panel will publish a further report summarising evidence from professional bodies before it makes its final recommendations in early summer.

The panel consists of 18 representatives from professions including media, law, business, architecture, politics and medicine.