asked the Minister of Health how many local authorities have been requested to publicise the findings of the Medical Research Council on the risks of smoking; how many have done so; how many have requested the Central Council for Health Education for available leaflets and posters; and what further action it is proposed to take to warn the public of the dangers of cancer through smoking.

The 146 county and county borough councils in England and Wales who are responsible for health education under the National Health Service Act, 1946, were invited in June to publicise the findings of the Medical Research Council on the risks of smoking. According to my information, over half of them have already taken or decided on action in one form or another, and most of the rest are now considering the matter. So far 85 local health authorities have ordered publicity material from the Central Council for Health Education. It is too soon to judge what further action is needed, but I am keeping the position under review.

asked the Secretary to the Treasury what is his estimate of the number of public service pensioners, over 60 years of age, who are outside the National Insurance Scheme, and whose total pensions at the present time are less than £4 a week.

I regret that I can give no estimate, as the necessary information is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the figures in 1956–57 for total wage increases; what was the percentage increase in wage rates; and what is the estimated aggregate wage bill for 1956–57.

Figures for the financial year 1956–57 are not available. For the calendar year 1956 the total wage bill is estimated at £7,375 million, an increase of £615 million over the preceding year. Weekly wage rates increased during 1956 by about 7½ per cent.

asked the Minister of Defence (1) how many widows of Regular officers of the three Armed Services and the Indian Armed Services are in receipt of ordinary widows' pensions; and how many of these are receiving £189 a year or less, because they are widows of lieutenant-colonels or below and equivalent ranks in the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force;(2) what is the number of widows of Regular officers of the three Armed Services and Indian Armed Services whose deaths were due to service who are in receipt of attributable pensions;(3) what is the annual cost of providing pensions for the widows of Regular officers showing ordinary and attributable pensions separately.

9,988 widows of Regular officers of the three Armed Services and the Indian Armed Services are in receipt of ordinary widows' pensions. 421 receive a modified rate of pension because they also receive attributable awards from the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance. 7,859 receive pensions of £189 a year or less. 689 widows receive attributable pensions from Service or Commonwealth Relations Office votes. The annual cost of ordinary pensions is £1,572,423 and of attributable pensions is £161,072.The Service Departments, and the C.R.O. in the case of widows of regular officers of the Indian Armed Forces, are responsible for the payment of widows' pensions in respect of their husbands' services. The Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance is responsible for the payment of all attributable pensions for the U.K. Forces, i.e. widows' pensions where the death of the husband was attributed to his service, except in cases arising before World War I and between World Wars I and II. The Commonwealth Relations Office is responsible for payment of all attributable cases whenever they arose.