War dividend

Scientists working on military projects seem to be the winners in the British
government’s latest spending plans, announced this week. The defence R&D
budget for this financial year is forecast to be almost 9 per cent higher than
the estimated figure for 1998-99, while the sum for civilian R&D is rising
by only 5 per cent. Over the next three years, the defence sector will consume
about half of the planned £1.6 billion increase on science, engineering
and technology.