Cement compositions

In a cement composition comprising cement and greater than 0 and up to 65% by weight of pulverised fuel ash having a range of loss on ignition of about 1.5% to about [6%] 12% by weight, the improvement which comprises adding an are entraining effective amount of an air entrainment agent selected from the group consisting of water soluble C9/C10 fatty acids salts, abietic acid salts, ether sulphates, alkyl sulphonates, alkyl aryl sulphonates and amine oxide salts together with an effective amount of sodium or potassium octanoate, the octanoate being present in an amount sufficient to stabilize entrained air and lower the rate of air loss.