More on Gender Equity: UK edition

I recently wrote about an Australian production of Queen Lear, part of a Melbourne theater company's attempt to move toward gender equity in the face of public calls for equity to be part of the criteria to receive government arts funding in Australia.

Now I read that similar public calls are happening in the UK. 

Again, I'm wondering - is this the way to go in the US?  Should gender quotas be a part of the criteria to receive NEA funding?  Would this lead to more jobs for women in theater, more plays by women writers receiving productions, and more women being cast in shows?