Lisbon

Portugal will spend 26 per cent more on research next year. Some Esc43,800 million (Pounds 162 million)will be available for science in 1999 compared with Esc34,700 million in 1998, according to minister of science and technology Jose Mariano Gago. Scientists welcomed the news but pointed out that this only represents 0.8 per cent of GNP compared with the European average of 1.84 per cent.