Are selections being delayed because of the quest for more women candidates?

A couple of weeks ago ConservativeHome learnt that four parliamentary selections in the West Midlands had been postponed; Walsall North, Walsall South, Wolverhampton SE and Wolverhampton NE.  We were informed that the principal reason for the postponement was an inadequate number of female applicants.  A CCHQ source didn't exactly deny this when we questioned them earlier this week although we were told that the number of applications had been disappointingly low overall - from both men and women.  The Burrowes/ Shapps analysis - which argues for early selection of people with local understanding - should be trumping the desire of CCHQ to increase the number of women candidates - particularly given the increasing likelihood of an autumn election.