§ Mr. Viggersasked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the publicity campaign to inform 52W pre-1950 Service widows of their right to a Service pension payable from 12 November; and whether radio advertising is being used for this purpose.
§ Mr. SpeedThe publicity campaign is under way. Advertisements have already appeared in
- Belfast Telegraph
- Chatham, Rochester and Gillingham News
- Colchester Essex County Standard
- Daily Mail
- Daily Telegraph
- Glasgow Daily Record
- Glasgow Sunday Mail
- Guildford Surrey Advertiser
- Plymouth Western Evening Herald
- Portsmouth News
- Southampton Southern Evening Echo
- Sun
Between now and the New Year advertising will continue in
- Chatham, Rochester and Gillingham News
- Daily Express
- Daily Mail
- Daily Mirror
- Daily Telegraph
- Glasgow Daily Record
- Glasgow Sunday Mail
- Globe and Laurel
- News of the World
- RAF News
- Soldier
- Southampton Southern Evening Echo
- Sun
- Sunday Express
- Sunday People
- Weekend
- Weekly News
- Yours
In addition, advertisements directed to the social services community will appear during December in
- Community Care
- Social Worker Today
A poster campaign is also being mounted in post offices, citizens' advice bureaux and in public libraries.
All BBC and local independent radio stations have been supplied with editorial material, including a short pre-recorded interview with myself. In addition, BBC "Woman's Hour" interviewed me about the scheme on Thursday 22 November.
Up to last Thursday, 29 November, over 7,000 claims for the new pension had been received. The cost of the publicity campaign to Ministry of Defence votes is currently estimated at £146,380.