260 odd is apparently the target for the next training year.
Re female pilots, I've had the pleasure of flying with two outstanding such pilots this week. Both excellent. They just come to work, get the job done, no BS. They frequently add a great dynamic to the aircraft as, in my experience, many cabin crew seem to engage much more openly with them. They're the kind of mentors aspiring young pilots of either gender should be looking to, not those seeking to make a statement every time they go to work.