(i) take-home pay was determined by the number of hours worked, but women undertook more part-time work and less overtime and shift work than men; (ii) women generally had less seniority than men; and (iii) women's qualifications were often at a lower level than those of men, something the Government sought actively to remedy by establishing a number of training programmes, taking other measures to expand women's career horizons and eliminating all discriminatory practices in schools. A whole series of programmes to encourage women to consider a much broader range of jobs, particularly in the sciences, and to take advantage of all the training opportunities available to them had thus been instituted. Those measures had had encouraging results; the number of women who had chosen careers in the sciences and engineering, for example, had already risen significantly. 17. The difficulties women encountered in the private sector and the extent to which such women were integrated had been studied in the Hansard Society report referred to earlier. The Government had joined with the British Broadcasting Corporation in sponsoring a major campaign to deal with the lack of self-confidence, a fairly common phenomenon among women. With regard to women who interrupted their careers, statistics showed that such periods of unemployment generally began with the birth of the first child, that the average age of such women in the United Kingdom was increasing and that the average length of such interruptions was diminishing (currently standing at 3.5 years). 18. The question had been asked whether employers ought to make provisions for child care; the Government of the United Kingdom believed that that responsibility lay primarily with parents, but that employers could certainly play a role by providing assistance to efforts by the State and voluntary organizations.
**Analysis**
The text primarily discusses the situation of women in the workforce, focusing on issues such as pay, qualifications, and career opportunities. It also touches on the government's initiatives to address these issues, including training programs and child care support. The text does not appear to be directly related to economic development, natural resources, agriculture, forestry, fishing, transport, communication, international trade, or humanitarian aid and relief.

**Category**
Employment, Education