Episodes
Title | First Broadcast | Repeated | Comments |
---|---|---|---|
20070206 | 20070211 (R4) | A report from Russia covering mysterious deaths in the wake of the Litvinenko affair. | |
20070213 | 20070218 (R4) | Why is the government shutting down the agency responsible for seizing criminal assets? | |
20070220 | 20070225 (R4) | A report on the performance of the Learning and Skills Council, Britain's largest quango. | |
20070227 | 20070304 (R4) | A report from one of the world's most unstable countries, the Democratic Republic of Congo | |
20070306 | 20070311 (R4) | Stephen Grey tells the inside story of Britain's dirty war against drugs. | |
20070313 | 20070318 (R4) | Major issues at home and abroad. With Jenny Cuffe. | |
20070320 | 20070325 (R4) | Gerry Northam investigates reports of failures in care for Britain's most vulnerable. | |
20070327 | Teenage gun crime in Britain is a matter of increasing concern. Allan Urry investigates. | ||
20070529 | Allan Urry investigates the effects of budget cuts on the Royal Navy. | ||
20070603 | Allan Urry investigates the effects of budget cuts on the Royal Navy. | ||
20070605 | Julian O'Halloran explores current attempts to cut greenhouse gas emissions. | ||
20070610 | Julian O'Halloran explores current attempts to cut greenhouse gas emissions. | ||
20070612 | 20070617 (R4) | Gerry Northam reports on the Private Finance Initiative. | |
20070619 | 20070624 (R4) | Kate Clark reveals how corruption and mismanagement is bedevilling Afghanistan. | |
20070626 | 20070701 (R4) | Angus Stickler investigates honour-based violence in the UK. | |
20070703 | 20070708 (R4) | Allan Urry asks whether enough is being to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear technology. | |
20070710 | 20070715 (R4) | Julian O'Halloran investigates claims of cartels and price-rigging in UK construction. | |
20070717 | 20070722 (R4) | Gerry Northam reports on alleged failings in the allocation system for council housing. | |
20070724 | 20070729 (R4) | Can investment, rather than aid, lift developing countries out of poverty? | |
20070731 | 20070805 (R4) | Sarah Spiller asks whether the government's ID card scheme will justify the expense. | |
20070918 | 20070923 (R4) | Allan Urry investigates cases of abuse in homes for elderly people in care. | |
20070925 | 20070930 (R4) | Michael Robinson investigates unchecked borrowing and the danger for the UK housing market | |
20071002 | 20071007 (R4) | Kate Clark looks at conditions in Basra after the British handover. | |
20071009 | 20071014 (R4) | Tim Whewell investigates occupational cancer deaths in the UK. | |
20071016 | 20071021 (R4) | Gerry Northam investigates alleged fiscal malpractice in regeneration projects in the UK. | |
20071023 | 20071028 (R4) | Allan Urry investigates the growing impact of crack cocaine on society. | |
20071030 | 20071104 (R4) | Julian O'Halloran reports on racial tensions which have resurfaced in America's Deep South | |
20071106 | 20071111 (R4) | Robert Peston investigates the causes of the recent Northern Rock crisis. | |
20071120 | 20071125 (R4) | Gerry Northam investigates alleged problems with the development of new cancer treatments. | |
20080122 | 20080127 (R4) | After the death of Victoria Climbie, how are child abuse cases handled? | |
20080129 | 20080203 (R4) | Allan Urry asks whether fire safety standards in Britain's hospitals are good enough. | |
20080205 | 20080210 (R4) | Julian O'Halloran looks at Network Rail's performance on track maintenance and safety. | |
20080212 | 20080217 (R4) | Fran Abrams investigates the fundraising methods of the British National Party. | |
20080219 | 20080224 (R4) | Town halls are facing thousands of backdated pay claims. Jenny Cuffe reports. | |
20080226 | 20080302 (R4) | Armadeep Basset reports on the activities of militant UK-based Sikh groups. | |
20080304 | 20080309 (R4) | Allan Urry investigates the performance of England's nine Regional Development Agencies. | |
20080311 | 20080316 (R4) | Julian O'Halloran reports on a new compensation scheme for wounded soldiers. | |
20080318 | 20080323 (R4) | Danny Shaw looks at government proposals to deal with prison overcrowding. | |
20080325 | 20080330 (R4) | Angus Stickler investigates the market for platinum. | |
20080429 | 20080504 (R4) | Julian O'Halloran investigates the fiasco of the opening of Terminal 5 at Heathrow. | |
20080520 | 20080525 (R4) | Major issues at home and abroad. | |
20080527 | 20080601 (R4) | Allan Urry reports from Liverpool, whose City Council is faced with mounting debts. | |
20080603 | 20080608 (R4) | Fran Abrams investigates the financial war against terrorism. | |
20080610 | 20080615 (R4) | Julian O'Halloran reports on the calls for a new generation of coal-fired power stations. | |
20080617 | 20080622 (R4) | Gerry Northam investigates drugs given to tens of thousands of elderly dementia sufferers. | |
20080624 | 20080629 (R4) | Kate Clark investigates efforts to stem the opium trade in Afghanistan. | |
20080701 | 20080706 (R4) | Lesley Curwen investigates growing concerns about blood transfusions. | |
20080708 | 20080713 (R4) | Allan Urry investigates the impact of the economic downturn on urban regeneration. | |
20080715 | 20080720 (R4) | Gerry Northam investigates the Colonial Development Corporation, established in 1948 to promote industry and agriculture in the poorest parts of the British Empire. Rumours of impending privatisation of the agency are circulating, and its critics claim that it is increasingly concerned with making profits rather than relieving poverty. Gerry Northam investigates the Colonial Development Corporation. | |
20080916 | 20080921 (R4) | Jenny Cuffe reports on a new and potentially fatal strain of the MRSA bacteria. | |
20080923 | 20080928 (R4) | Allan Urry examines the case for linking animal cruelty with child abuse. | |
20081014 | 20081019 (R4) | Michael Robinson investigates the hundreds of lawsuits that are being filed in the US by banks and financial institutions arguing over who is to blame for the crisis in the global financial markets. He reveals what those legal documents tell us about the banking system and the effectiveness of regulators. Michael Robinson investigates the US lawsuits emanating from the global financial crisis. | |
20081021 | 20081026 (R4) | Julian O'Halloran investigates the reasons behind rises in gas and electricity bills. | |
20081028 | 20081102 (R4) | Tim Whewell reports from Georgia on the origins of the recent conflict with Russia. | |
20081104 | 20081109 (R4) | Allan Urry investigates claims that the NHS is failing to deal with traumatised soldiers. | |
20081111 | 20081116 (R4) | Simon Cox investigates how English football's finances have got into such a mess. With Premier League clubs alone currently in three billion pounds-worth of debt, the game's governing bodies in England and Europe want action and the UK government has called for a review of financial regulation within the game. | |
20081118 | 20081123 (R4) | Amardeep Bassey investigates the funding of projects to reduce Islamic extremism in the UK | |
20081125 | 20081130 (R4) | Michael Robinson investigates the rise in evictions and unemployment. | |
20120807 | 20120812 (R4) | World health chiefs have branded diesel exhaust emissions a major cause of cancer. Despite the efforts of car-makers to filter out the most noxious substances, these fumes still play a big part in causing air pollution. Britain has the second worst respiratory death rates in Europe and has long been under notice from Brussels to clean up its act. So why are most UK areas in breach of legal limits? And do ministers have any clear plan to reduce the huge annual total of resulting deaths? Julian O'Halloran investigates. Producer : Rob Cave. Is enough being done to combat diesel pollution which is blamed for thousands of deaths? | |
20240109 | |||
20240507 | 20240430 (R4) 20240508 (R4) | Current affairs documentary series investigating major issues at home and abroad. | |
09-10-2024 | 20241008 | 20241009 (R4) | Current affairs documentary series investigating major issues at home and abroad. Award-winning current affairs documentary series |
30-01-2007 | 20070204 | An investigation into the way the MoD treats injured soldiers and their families. | |
A Bridge Too Far? | 20120320 | 20120325 (R4) | To the west of Edinburgh, construction of the new £1.5bn Forth road bridge will use steel from Poland, Spain and China. A local steel plant near Motherwell lost out as part of a consortium bidding for the work. It says the contract could have secured hundreds of local jobs. Officials insist that they have to follow EU rules which state that any company across the single market can bid for public contracts. But analysts complain that UK authorities interpret these rules more narrowly than their European counterparts, to the detriment of British firms. French public spending goes outside France at only half the rate that British contracts go abroad. With the economy struggling, the Government has pledged support for British business but accepts that public projects are too often awarded in a way that disadvantages domestic companies. So can it take action to support UK jobs without being accused of protectionism? Reporter: Gerry Northam Producer: Gail Champion. Why do so many British public sector contracts go to foreign companies? |
A Coal Town Mystery | 20240227 | 20240303 (R4) | It's a scandal that went uncovered for 30 years. Body parts and organs from former workers in the nuclear industry were systematically removed for research. But the families of those former workers were never told. The truth only came to light following a three year inquiry published in 2010. But was this practice contained to one industry, or was this happening on behalf of others too? News reports around the time of the Sellafield scandal claimed that organs of coal miners were also being routinely removed during post-mortems at the request of the then National Coal Board. So, was the coal industry involved in a similar scandal - and to what extent? And could the need to advance research and science ever be seen to outweigh the need for permission? Reporter and producer: Emma Forde Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Journalism Assistant: Tim Fernley Editor: Clare Fordham ~File On 4 investigates how organs from coal miners were used for historic research. Emma Forde examines the historic use of coal miners' organs in research and investigates what permissions were sought. |
A Deadly Dilemma | 20140701 | 20140706 (R4) | In many parts of the world, charities are trying to deliver much-needed aid to desperate people living in areas controlled by militant groups. What do they do when counter-terrorism laws ban them from contact with those de facto authorities? Risk of prosecution has now created a climate of fear in many aid agencies - and the UN wants counter-terrorism policies redrawn to ensure lives can be saved without charity workers risking jail. Tim Whewell reports from Gaza - and talks to aid workers operating in Syria, Somalia and other places - on the practical and moral dilemmas involved. Producer: Paul Grant. The dilemmas faced by charities trying to help people in areas run by militant groups. |
A Deadly Prescription | 20180130 | 20180204 (R4) | There were a record 3,744 drug related deaths in England and Wales last year. While many were linked to street drugs such as heroin, a growing number also involve prescription medicines such as benzodiazepines and Fentanyl. Fentanyl addiction has swept across North America where the drug and other synthetic opioids have been blamed for thousands of deaths. It hit the headlines here when it was linked to a spike in fatalities in certain parts of the UK after being mixed with heroin. Allan Urry travels to Stockton on Tees where ten deaths have been linked to Fentanyl and its derivatives. He meets users and their families and the medical professionals and police dealing with the problem. But while Fentanyl is currently in the spotlight, it is tranquilisers and other sedatives often used by heroin users to dull withdrawal symptoms which are contributing to many more deaths. Nowhere is the problem more acute than in Scotland where benzodiazepines contributed to nearly half of all drug deaths. Many of the pills known as 'street valium' or 'blues' are made in back street laboratories run by organised crime gangs. Users gamble with their lives as the ingredients and strength of the tablets are often unknown. But File on 4 has discovered that organised crime gangs have also become involved in diverting significant numbers of highly addictive medicines from the legitimate supply chain onto the black market. Regulators say there is an extensive network of criminality involving businesses such as wholesale dealers and registered pharmacies. Some in the pharmaceutical industry such as drug manufacturers are repeating calls for supply chain regulation to be reviewed to ensure medicines reach their intended target. Reporter: Allan Urry Producer: Paul Grant Editor: Gail Champion. As deaths involving prescription drugs increase, who is supplying demand on the streets? |
A Death Sentence? | 20210629 | A death sentence? The inmates dying after poor prison healthcare. More prisoners are dying in jail - even after you account for the growing - and ageing -prison population. Many of those found to be so-called natural cause deaths' are relatively young: more than a third are aged between 35 and 54. Those who've been behind bars a short time are at greatest ris | |
A Different Class: Excluded Kids Lured Into Crime | 20230829 | 20230903 (R4) | After an inevitable decline during the pandemic, school exclusions are again on the increase. There are concerns that behaviour is worse because, post pandemic, children can't regulate their behaviour in the classroom. So what happens to those who are kicked out? The Government says it has issued updated guidance on suspensions and permanent exclusions and is clear that initial intervention should be put in place where children are at risk of being permanently excluded and entering alternative provision. It says permanent exclusions should always be a last resort and shouldn't mean exclusion from education. But File on 4 hears compelling evidence from pupils, parents and teachers to suggest hundreds - maybe thousands - are falling under the radar, targeted by criminal gangs, forced to sell drugs and lured into a life of crime. Reporter: De-Graft Mensah Producers: Shona Elliott and Tom Wall Senior Digital Journalist: Melanie Stewart-Smith Journalism Assistant: Tim Fernley Technical Producer: Gareth Jones Editor: Carl Johnston Children who are excluded from school are being targetted by gangs to sell drugs |
A First Class Scandal | 20220215 | 20220220 (R4) | Two years ago File on 4 investigated how a computer system, called Horizon, was behind what has now become one of the biggest miscarriages of justice this country has ever seen. Hundreds of innocent postal workers wrongly accused of stealing money from their branches by the Post Office itself. Many faced financial ruin, some even went to prison. Since that programme, dozens have had their convictions overturned, and the Post Office has pledged to provide full, fair and final' compensation to those affected, at the cost of hundreds of millions of pounds to the taxpayer. In this episode, Hayley Hassall revisits the victims she spoke to in 2020 who say they are still fighting for justice - and investigates what the Post Office really knew as this scandal unfolded, as it ruthlessly pursued and prosecuted its very own workers. Reporter: Hayley Hassall Producer: Mick Tucker Editor: Maggie Latham ~File On 4 investigates what the Post Office really knew during the sub-postmaster scandal. |
A Greek Tragedy | 20170110 | 20170115 (R4) | ~File On 4 sets off on a new series to find the forgotten children of Europe's refugee crisis. As winter sets in, Phil Kemp heads to Greece in search of the teenagers who have arrived alone from Syria and Afghanistan, living by their wits on the streets of Athens. The controversial deal struck between the EU and Turkey to return migrants who don't claim asylum or who have their claims rejected - and the closing of borders with Greece - has been blamed for making the situation worse for many migrants who now find themselves in limbo in Greece. The millions pledged by the EU don't seem to be bringing relief on the ground either. The programme hears from the lucky ones who have found spaces at shelters for unaccompanied children in Greece's capital. Here they are fed, clothed and supported in their legal cases. Others, on the island of Samos, are celebrating securing asylum in Greece. But most children on the island are not celebrating. They feel stuck in a system that cannot cope and held in a country that was meant to be a transit point, not a place to stay. Increasingly the locals in Samos don't want them to say either. Tensions are flaring in the area around the vastly overcrowded camp, with Golden Dawn active nearby. Around 3,000 residents turned out to protest about their sense of abandonment by the Greek government and the EU. Local officials describe the island as 'trembling on a bridge above troubled water. With an estimated 2300 unaccompanied migrant children in Greece, more than half of whom are on the waiting list for shelter, File on 4 asks whether the EU is doing enough to care for those most in need of protection. Reporter: Phil Kemp Producer: Sally Chesworth Editor: Gail Champion. The plight of unaccompanied child migrants arriving in Greece. Is the EU doing enough? |
A Healthy Market? | 20131112 | 20131117 (R4) | The biggest ever slice of the NHS is up for grabs in Cambridgeshire. Ten bidders, including NHS hospital trusts and private companies Serco, Virgin Care and Circle, are competing for a five year contract to run older peoples' services. It will be worth a minimum of £700,000. The successful bidder will provide everything from podiatry and occupational therapy to dementia treatment and end of life care. The stakes are high. But how much will patients be told about how the bid was won? With commissioners advertising dozens of other big money tenders, File on 4 looks at the secrecy surrounding NHS contracts when they're awarded and when they're challenged. Does commercial confidentiality make public accountability impossible? And how far does the competitive market improve healthcare for patients? Reporter Jane Deith Producer Ian Muir-Cochrane. What do we know about the deals struck with private companies to run parts of the NHS? |
A Living Death | 20110621 | 20110626 (R4) | A review into the care of patients in vegetative or low awareness states has been launched by the Royal College of Physicians. There are thought to be as many as 5000 such people in the UK. The working party will look at concerns that assessment and diagnosis of patients is not consistent across the country and will ask whether the cost of long term care is affordable to the NHS. Ann Alexander examines calls for a reform of the process to end the life of such patients where their families believe their loved one would no longer wish to be alive. The programme reveals how some hospitals appear unaware of the law and hears how the process can be lengthy and costly, putting families under further strain. Producer: Paul Grant. Should it be made simpler to end the life of patients in a vegetative state? |
A Load Of Rubbish | 20190528 | 20190602 (R4) | Households in Britain are recycling more than ever, with millions of us dutifully sorting through our rubbish every week in an effort to help save the planet. But when the blue, green and brown bins are taken away, what really happens to our waste? ~File On 4 goes digging through Britain's multi-million pound recycling industry - and discovers it's a dirty business. The UK sends more than half its recyclable packaging overseas, selling our sorted plastics and paper to countries which need the raw material and will recycle it. But when File on 4 tracks where shipments are being sent - we discover they can have a devastating effect on the developing communities where they end up. Reporter: Jane Deith Producer: Mick Tucker Development Producer: Oliver Newlan Researcher: Deniz Kose Editor: Gail Champion Failures in the way recycling is set up in the UK is contributing to pollution in our seas |
A Pensions Patchwork | 20150310 | 20150315 (R4) | In Canada, everything is big - including powerful pension funds such as the Ontario Teachers fund which owns half of Birmingham airport and other large projects around the world. It's all a far cry from the British pension scene, where a hundred local government pension funds each run their own affairs separately and pay costly fees to City firms for investment advice. Many of them still have financial deficits. Taxpayers have been forced to pick up bills to pay off those shortfalls and already hard-pressed local services have been stretched further. Lesley Curwen investigates how these individual funds are run and asks whether we should have larger funds with cheaper costs - like Canada does. And she asks whether more councils should be using pension money to invest in housing and infrastructure as a way to boost their local economies? Producer: Anna Meisel Reporter: Lesley Curwen. Have UK taxpayers been paying over the odds to prop up council pension funds? |
A Place Of Safety? | 20130730 | 20130804 (R4) | Psychiatric hospitals have a duty to keep their patients safe, which means taking extra care with patients suffering acute depression who may be at risk of self-harm. So campaigners argue that when a patient commits suicide, it is vital that a thorough investigation should discover any failings by doctors and nurses and any weaknesses in hospital systems of communication or levels of staffing. But, unlike deaths in prison or police custody, fatalities in psychiatric units are not reviewed from the start by a fully independent investigator. Initial reports are usually prepared by staff of the NHS and kept confidential to the health officials and family concerned. Only at the subsequent inquest does an independent inquiry take over. Critics call this 'a recipe for cover-up by the NHS'. ~File On 4 reports on a series of suicides in one psychiatric unit which have led the local coroner to accuse the NHS of 'a catalogue of failures stemming from an institutional complacency'. Reporter - Gerry Northam Producer - Gail Champion. Are psychiatric hospitals failing to learn vital lessons from suicides among patients? |
A Place Of Safety? | 20180320 | 20180325 (R4) | Simon Cox investigates a series of failures in a mental health trust. Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust was formed last year from two former trusts. It provides mental health and community services to patients. Some of whom say there are serious problems at the trust. Some say they don't feel safe on wards, there have been a series of suicides and now there are serious new allegations emerging. The trust says safety is its top priority and its making progress and improving. But the programme hears from patients and their families who feel they are being let down. Reporter: Simon Cox Producer: Anna Meisel Editor: Gail Champion Assistance for Patients: The Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust has set up a helpline for any patients or concerned families. The number is is 01268-739182. It will be available from 8pm on Tuesday 20 March 2018. There are also other organisations which can assist via the BBC Actionline: Addiction: http://www.BBC.co.uk/programmes/articles/1kS7QTDB16PWkywhsXJLzxz/information-and-support-addiction-alcohol-drugs-and-gambling Emotional distress / suicide: http://www.BBC.co.uk/programmes/articles/4WLs5NlwrySXJR2n8Snszdg/emotional-distress-information-and-support Mental health: http://www.BBC.co.uk/programmes/articles/1NGvFrTqWChr03LrYlw2Hkk/information-and-support-mental-health Sexual abuse: http://www.BBC.co.uk/programmes/articles/22VVM5LPrf3pjYdKqctmMXn/information-and-support. An investigation into standards in an NHS trust providing mental health care. |
A Plan To Kill, The Murder Of Brianna Ghey | 20240202 | 20240206 (R4) 20240211 (R4) | ~File On 4 tells the story behind the brutal killing of schoolgirl Brianna Ghey. She was attacked in a park near Warrington in Cheshire on a Saturday afternoon in February 2023. Two teenagers - Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe - who were obsessed with murder and torture, have been convicted of her murder. In the build-up to the killing, they exchanged text messages outlining details of their plan. The girl even wrote a detailed plan of how they would go about the murder which was found by police in her bedroom. File on 4 has discovered how she had been part of a 'managed move' to Brianna's school after she poisoned a younger girl with a cannabis-infused 'gummy' and didn't tell her what was in it. The 13-year-old became very poorly and the police were alerted. The victim's family decided against further action and the matter was referred back to the school. Scarlett Jenkinson was suspended for five days and later transferred to Brianna's school where the two girls became friends. However, before accepting Jenkinson on their register, the school was not given all the details of the incident involving the cannabis sweet. Warrington Borough Council says a child safeguarding review is underway and it will examine all of the issues - including the circumstances surrounding the managed transfer. Reporter: Katie Barnfield Producer: Hayley Mortimer Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Journalism Assistant: Tim Fernley Editor: Carl Johnston ~File On 4 investigates what led two 15-year-olds to kill teenager Brianna Ghey ~File On 4 tells the story behind the killing of schoolgirl Brianna Ghey. ~File On 4 investigates what led two 15-year-olds to kill teenager Brianna Ghey in broad daylight. |
A Taxing Dilemma | 20101026 | 20101031 (R4) | While the government axes public spending to try to cut the deficit, Michael Robinson investigates loopholes which let big businesses slash their UK tax bills. This month George Osborne said he plans to make Britain the most attractive corporate tax regime in the G20. But some companies have already moved abroad for tax reasons. And for others able to operate on a global scale, there are many ways for them to reduce their tax liability. So how does the Government square the tax circle? Producer: Gail Champion. Michael Robinson reveals loopholes which let big businesses slash their UK tax bills. |
A Year Of Covid | 20210126 | 20210131 (R4) | A year ago this week, the first reported case of Covid-19 was recorded in the UK. Within weeks frontline medics faced their toughest ever test. Doctors and nurses in intensive care units recorded diaries for a powerful and insightful episode of File on 4 which illustrated the true scale of the challenge they faced. So one year on, how do they think they coped? What have they learned about themselves and the National Health Service which many warn could be overwhelmed by the current second wave of Covid 19 which continues to claim tens of thousands of lives. Reporter Jane Deith revisits some of those doctors and nurses to find out how they themselves survived the biggest challenge of their careers. And she asks whether when they recorded their original diaries, did they envisage they'd be where they are now in battle against the pandemic? Jane Deith talks to the medics who fought the first wave of Covid-19 in England's ICUs. |
Abandoned In Afghanistan | 20230110 | 20230115 (R4) | 18 months after the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan, File on 4 hears from people still stuck in hiding; their names blacklisted because of the work they did for the British. Following the fall of the country and the frantic evacuation, the UK Government made a series of promises not to leave behind those who'd helped the UK. The programme investigates the failures of these schemes, which have seen tiny numbers getting to safety in the UK. Thousands more left living in fear, facing torture and kidnap have been left languishing for months without contact or support. Reporter: Paul Kenyon Producer: Kate West and Vicky Carter Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Editor: Carl Johnston Thousands abandoned in Afghanistan despite being promised help by the UK. |
Abandoned To Their Fate | 20150602 | 20150607 (R4) | Next month the National Audit Office is due to report on the outcomes for young people leaving care. There are claims that, under financial pressure, local authorities are pushing too many teenagers into independent living before they're ready. File on 4 investigates new figures that suggest many young care leavers are failing to cope - with large numbers ending up in custody, homeless, sexually exploited or pregnant. Social services chiefs say the welfare of care-leavers must be a key priority for the new government. But who holds them to account when they fail those they are meant to have looked after? And, with more cuts on the way, can the system cope? Fran Abrams reveals how hands-off caring can have tragic consequences. Abandoned to their fate - are teenagers being pushed out of the care system too quickly? |
About A Boy, The Hidden Victims Of Grooming | 20170718 | 20170723 (R4) | What happens when your teenage son is targeted by abusers? ~File On 4 tells one family's story of fighting the authorities to get support and justice after a 13 year old boy was aggressively groomed by scores of men, aged from their 20s to their 50s. It is a shocking story of opportunities missed, meaning the boy endured assaults by multiple men for years. We look at the impact of that sustained abuse on him and his parents, who were desperately trying to shield him from harm. He says he was dismissed, and even blamed by authorities responsible for protecting him. Why were they so let down? And have the police been slow to get to grips with cases of child sexual exploitation when they involve boys? One safeguarding expert tells the programme: 'Policy is not matching practice on the ground. It was completely missed that this boy was a child. We need to lift the lid on what is going on when the victims are boys. Are boys on the radar of authorities or are they grooming's hidden victims? Reporter: Alys Harte Producer: Sally Chesworth. Are teenage boys let down by the system when they report being targeted by paedophiles? |
Above The Law? | 20210615 | 20210620 (R4) | Since reporting on a story about police abuses earlier this year reporter Anna Adams has been inundated with calls and messages from women all telling her the same thing; they were a victim at the hands of a police officer. For File on 4 Anna investigates the failures of police forces to properly manage and investigate accused officers within their own ranks. Many of the women she speaks to are police officers themselves Reporter: Anna Adams Producer: Kate West & Mick Tucker Editor: Gail Champion Are police forces letting down victims of crime when those accused are their own officers? |
Abuse In Sport | 20120710 | 20120715 (R4) | It was the Paul Hickson scandal in the mid 90s which first brought the issue of sexual abuse in sport to the public eye. The Olympic swimming coach was jailed for 17 years for raping and sexually abusing young girls he trained. The case led to the setting up of the Child Protection in Sport Unit and the introduction of safeguarding measures in most sports. But, more than a decade on, the problem hasn't gone away and this edition of File on 4 reveals new figures which show how many allegations of sexual and physical abuse were made across most major sports last year. The programme also examines concerns about the way information about coaches who have disciplined or banned, is shared with parents and other sports bodies, primarily because of data protection laws. It reveals how some coaches accused of sexual misconduct are able to move between sporting organisations and carry on coaching Reporter Chris Buckler also hears calls from families and child welfare charities for a change in the law to make it illegal for coaches to have a sex with athletes aged 16 or 17 which would bring them in line with teachers and others who have close contact with young people Presenter: Chris Buckler Producer: Paul Grant. Is sport doing enough to tackle the sexual abuse of athletes? Chris Buckler investigates. |
Abused But Not Heard | 20140916 | 20140921 (R4) | Knowl View special school for boys has become infamous as the haunt of Cyril Smith. Prosecutors now say 'Mr Rochdale' should have been charged with abuse of boys while he was alive. But he was not the only one. In the first of a new series, former pupils in the 1970s, 80s and 90s tell File on 4 how a web of abusers, including local paedophiles and other pupils preyed on boys as young as eight while people supposed to protect them looked the other way. Previous police investigations came to nothing. A new probe is underway, focusing on who could be guilty of a criminal cover up. But what became of the innocent? Jane Deith hears from some of those who experienced life in Knowl View. Telling their stories for the first time, they describe childhoods twisted by sexual abuse. Now questions are being asked about whether the failure to end the abuse at Knowl View led to a culture in which the subsequent grooming of young girls in Rochdale was allowed to happen. Alan Collins, a specialist child abuse lawyer representing some of the men who're suing Rochdale Council over abuse at Know View, believes things would have been different had Cyril Smith been prosecuted and convicted: 'That would have sent a clear message through Rochdale and much further afield that there was clearly a problem and that problem would not have been so easy to brush away. I think that had a very long tail and that that tail continued right up until recent times. Reporter: Jane Deith Producer: Sally Chesworth. Victims of sexual abuse at Knowl View school in Rochdale tell their side of the story. |
Acts Of Abuse | 20210706 | 20210711 (R4) | Allegations of bullying and sexual harassment against the actor and film maker Noel Clarke have led to an industry-wide examination of the culture within the film and television business. Industry insiders describe an environment where those in power can be bullying and demanding, where sexual harassment is commonplace and where victims are afraid to speak up because they fear losing work. File on 4 has heard from hundreds of people who work in the industry who paint a disturbing picture of the culture where intimidation, bullying and sexual misconduct is often overlooked. The programme asks if the industry is equipped to tackle this bad behaviour, whether new regulation is needed and whether it is serious about cleaning up its act. Reporter: Livvy Haydock Producer: Helen Clifton Editor: Carl Johnston Bullying and sexual abuse and harassment in the film and television industry. |
Adoption: Families In Crisis | 20170926 | 20171001 (R4) | Adoption can transform lives. Today, most children available for adoption have had a difficult start. Removed from birth parents and taken into care, many have experienced abuse and neglect which can leave them with complex mental health and/or developmental needs. Adoption can provide them with stable and loving homes. But what happens when the challenges the adoptive family faces become overwhelming? And is there enough support available to the families who give a home to some of the most vulnerable children in society? ~File On 4 hears from adoptive parents struggling to cope with their children's complex problems - and battling with the authorities to get the help they desperately need. The charity Adoption UK thinks as many as a quarter of all adoptive families are in crisis and in need of professional help to keep their family together. But are adoptive parents given enough information about the challenges they are likely to face and when they do encounter problems, is there enough help available? Two years ago, the government set up a special fund designed to help adoptive families in England access a range of post-adoption therapeutic services. To date, more than £52 million has been spent via the Adoption Support Fund. But where is the money going and are the treatments on offer proven to be effective? The truth is that no one really knows how many adoptions are 'disrupted' or end up in full break down when the child is permanently returned to care. But when they do, it is devastating for everyone involved. We speak to families fighting to get the help they need to stay together. Reporter: Alys Harte Producer: Jane Drinkwater. Is there enough support available to struggling adoptive families? |
Affirmative Action On Trial | 20230516 | 20230521 (R4) | For 40 years, affirmative action policies were created in the United States to address a lack of women and people of colour in the workplace and at university. They have been questioned before, and are now under scrutiny once again in the Supreme Court. Two cases are being brought by a group called Students for Fair Admissions challenging the way race is considered in the admissions process at Harvard and North Carolina Universities. The case against Harvard specifically alleges discrimination against Asian Americans, which the prestigious college denies. But affirmative action is divisive and means different things to Americans. Nomia Iqbal speaks to Edward Blum, the man bringing the case to court, and to students on either side of the debate. Is the policy a helping hand, or an unfair handout? US affirmative action under scrutiny. |
Afghanistan: Enemies Within | 20101005 | 20101010 (R4) | The planned withdrawal of British and other foreign troops from Afghanistan relies on the Afghan army and police to take over security duties. Since 2002, the USA has spent $27bn - over half of its total reconstruction fund - training and equipping Afghan forces. The aim is to build up an army of 171,600 people and a police force of 134,000 by October 2011. The Afghan President Hamid Karzai wants national forces to be in complete control of the country by 2014. But these targets, and the loyalty of some personnel, are called into question by recent killings carried out by members of the Afghan security forces: *20 July 2010: two US weapons trainers were shot dead by an Afghan soldier *13 July 2010: three British soldiers were attacked by an Afghan soldier who shot one dead in his bed and fired a rocket-propelled grenade which killed two others *3 November 2009: three British soldiers and two members of the Royal Military Police were shot dead by an Afghan policeman. An investigation published in June 2010 by the US Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction found that officials had often overstated the readiness of Afghan forces, rating some units as first class when they were incapable of fighting the Taliban on their own. It also reported high levels of desertion, corruption and drug abuse. Gerry Northam asks if the transition to Afghan control is really on track. Producer: David Lewis Editor: David Ross. Can Afghan forces guarantee the country's security when British and other troops pull out? |
After The Flood | 20200121 | 20200126 (R4) | Few who saw the pictures of the devastating floods which hit the Yorkshire village of Fishlake will forget those images of houses and fields sunk beneath the waters of the River Don. But who knows what life looks like for the residents after the water has receded? Reporter Anna Cavell discovers a village fighting not only to get back into their homes, but also trying to find out what can protect them if the waters return. Delays to insurance claims and businesses struggling to get back to work are some of the everyday tasks facing the village. But with many not expected to return to their homes for many months, will the close knit community of Fishlake village ever recover? Reporter: Anna Cavell Producer: Rob Cave Editor: Carl Johnston What happens to those families hit by devastating floods when the waters recede? |
After The Floods, A Tale Of Two Cities | 20160209 | 20160214 (R4) | The Dutch city of Nijmegen has much in common with the English city of York. Similar in size, both are much visited by tourists because of their histories and architecture. But both also have rivers running through them and are susceptible to flooding. So how do their defences compare? And, as York and other communities continue to mop up the damage caused by the latest catastrophic flooding, did basic mistakes and a failure of planning make a bad situation very much worse? Reporter: Allan Urry Producer: Rob Cave. Could York learn from its Dutch counterpart about flood protection? |
After The Riots | 20240827 | 20240828 (R4) | Mosques and hotels housing asylum seekers came under attack during the riots that swept across the country earlier this month. The courts have been tough on violent disorder, but File on 4 examines how tackling the possible root causes may require an even stronger effort. Tensions over immigration are still simmering, particularly in areas that have long been in economic decline. Paul Kenyon reports. Producer: Hayley Mortimer Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards Production Coordinator: Tim Fernley Editor: Alys Harte Paul Kenyon returns to Merseyside to examine the possible issues that led to the violence. Award-winning current affairs documentary series Paul Kenyon returns to Merseyside to examine the possible root causes that led to the violence. Current affairs documentary series investigating major issues at home and abroad. |
Air Crashes | 20110405 | 20110410 (R4) | The investigation following an air disaster is supposed to make air travel safer. But do the reports always get to the truth about why planes crash? Emma Jane Kirby examines claims that international air accident investigations are often slow, incompetent and influenced by political sensitivities. So how does this affect the victims' families as they fight manufacturers and airlines for compensation? And could the blame game be preventing lessons being learned that could prevent future accidents? Producer Jenny Chryss. When a plane crashes, does the investigation always get to the real reasons? |
Airport Woes | 20110222 | 20110227 (R4) | Business travel and Christmas holidays were ruined for hundreds of thousands of people by snow. While many airports abroad bounced back quickly from bad weather, some in Britain began to resemble refugee camps. But discontent among passengers and airlines goes well beyond winter readiness. Julian O'Halloran asks how one operator BAA, justifies its grip on no fewer than half a dozen British airports? And questions whether government and regulators need to take more control over the industry in order to prevent further damage to Britain's image abroad.. Producer : Samantha Fenwick. Why were flights grounded by snow? Do Britain's airport woes run deeper than bad weather? |
Albanian Exodus | 20221108 | 20221113 (R4) | Their country is not at war and it's not ruled by an authoritarian regime, yet thousands of young Albanians are making the dangerous journey across the channel to live and work in the UK. ~File On 4 travels across Albania to discover the truth behind the biggest migration controversy to hit Britain for years, visiting towns where most young men have already left and the rest are planning to leave as soon as possible. In Has, a small town in Northern Albania, 80 per cent of families rely on funds being sent back by relatives living in the UK. A red phone box can be found outside a pub called Britain Lounge - a mark of respect to the country providing work to the majority of the town's youth. While in neighbouring Kukes, men who've made their fortune and returned home, drive around the city in cars with GB number plates. With wages low and youth unemployment high, File on 4 hears from young people who say there are no prospects for them in their home country. They're lured to the promised lands of England by slick social media campaigns led by people smugglers and by Albanians who show off their wealth online. But the exodus of skilled workers and the country's labour force is having a huge impact on the population of Albania, which has still yet to fully recover from its brutalist communist rule. Reporter: Paul Kenyon Producers: Hayley Mortimer and Fjori Sinoruka in Albania, Kate West and Annabel Deas Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Editor: Carl Johnston Paul Kenyon investigates why so many young Albanians want to travel illegally to the UK. |
Alcohol Fraud | 20121009 | 20121014 (R4) | A criminal gang was recently jailed for one of the biggest ever alcohol smuggling rackets in the UK. It's become big business for organised crime according to HMRC, with tax losses in unpaid duty as high as £1.2 billion per year. MP's are demanding tougher action. But these are highly complex frauds, which take years to investigate. Allan Urry examines the scale of the challenge facing the authorities, and reveals the extent to which criminals have penetrated the legitimate market in beer, wine and spirits Presenter: Allan Urry Producer: Paul Grant. Alcohol smuggling is costing more than a billion pounds in lost taxes. Allan Urry reports. |
All Sewn Up | 20201013 | 20201018 (R4) | An investigation into a network of companies involved in VAT fraud within Leicester's garment manufacturing industry. After questions were raised in the summer about slave wages and unsafe working practices, File on 4 has now found a network of companies involved in a cash laundering scheme. Insiders say VAT fraud is endemic among garment suppliers within the city and there are concerns that millions in tax revenue are being lost each year. So how does it operate and why isn't more being done to prevent fraud within the fast-fashion supply chain? Reporters: Paul Kenyon and Ashni Lakhani Producer: Oliver Newlan Editor: Gail Champion An investigation into VAT fraud within Leicester's garment manufacturing industry. |
Am I In A Cult? | 20211123 | 20211128 (R4) | How do you know if you've been recruited by a cult? Rachel Stonehouse investigates claims there are up to 2,000 cults currently operating in the UK. We talk to young people who say they were recruited on campus and a father who went to court to free his daughter from the influence of a harmful cult. Reporter: Rachel Stonehouse Producer: Michael Cowan Editor: Maggie Latham Researcher: Natasha Fernandes How do you know if you've been recruited by a cult? Rachel Stonehouse investigates. |
An Emergency Crisis? | 20110719 | 20110724 (R4) | Why are ambulances queuing up to unload patients needing treatment at hospital Accident and Emergency Departments? Some senior A and E medics say there are too few beds and not enough staff in a front line service struggling to cope. Cash strapped NHS Trusts are closing casualty units, or replacing them with lower grade Urgent Care Centres but what's been the impact on patients? Allan Urry asks whether A and E is on life support, at a time when the NHS is trying to make £20 billions savings without compromising patient care. Presenter: Allan Urry Producer: Samantha Fenwick. Allan Urry examines claims of a crisis in hospital accident and emergency services. |
An Inside Job | 20151110 | 20151115 (R4) | An inside job: the Britons smuggling illegal immigrants into the UK. ~File On 4 hears from Britons jailed for hiding people in their cars. They reveal why - and how - they did it. They were paid to smuggle people across the Channel by gangs based in London and the North West. This unofficial migrant taxi service - run from camps in Calais and Dunkirk - is believed to be netting criminal networks millions of pounds a year. But even that is dwarfed by the money to be made by British criminals bringing migrants over by the lorry load. Jane Deith reveals how the trade is spreading along the coast of Northern Europe, to Belgium and Holland. And she hears from Europol's Chief of Staff about the extent to which criminal networks based in Britain are involved in people smuggling. He tells the programme that more than 800 people have been identified as suspects. Reporter: Jane Deith Producer: Paul Grant. British people smugglers: inside the trade in bringing illegal immigrants into the UK. |
An Inside Job? | 20111101 | 20111106 (R4) | The Justice Secretary Ken Clarke wants more jobs for convicts. He told his party conference: 'If we want prison to work, then our prisoners have got to be working'. He encourages private companies to open workshops inside prisons, where inmates would be 'properly paid' for hard work, would pay their due of taxes and help fund victims' support. Mr Clarke points to a metal factory in a Merseyside prison where prisoners work a 40 hour week and learn skills which could make them more employable on release. He argues that this will also make then less likely to return to crime. But is this plan practicable? Prison Governors say that two-thirds of their inmates were unemployed before they started their sentences and that they are generally reluctant to engage in meaningful work. They say many of them can hardly read and write. Governors also fear that moving jobs inside prison would mean taking opportunities away from law-abiding job-seekers outside. And they complain that it would prove costly in terms of staff time. One prison reform group which set up a pioneering graphic design studio inside prison says the project was popular and effective among prisoners but was forced to close following hostility and obstruction from officers. Gerry Northam asks if the government is overstating the possible advantages of its policy, and investigates whether it can be made to succeed at a time when the Ministry of Justice faces funding cuts. Producer: Ian Muir-Cochrane. Should more prisoners be made to work? And are government plans to make them realistic? |
An Unsafe Conviction? | 20160524 | 20160529 (R4) | For the past 22 years Thomas Bourke has been in prison for a double murder he says he didn't commit. The killings made national headlines in 1993 when two MOT inspectors, Alan Singleton and Simon Bruno, were shot dead at a garage in Stockport, in Greater Manchester. The evidence produced in court against Bourke seemed compelling. Two mechanics at the garage said they had seen him carry out the shooting which the prosecution claimed was motivated by a dispute about his licence to carry out MOT tests. As the jury began their deliberations, a gun was found inside Strangeways prison where Bourke was on remand. Amid subsequent heightened security around the court, he was found guilty and given a minimum 25 year sentence. But protesting his innocence all these years means that he may never be eligible for parole so could remain in prison for the rest of his life. His sister Jo has been tirelessly fighting his case. A chiropodist with no connections to criminals, she began visiting notorious drug dealers and suspected killers to try to gather new evidence that would help clear his name. Through the work of Jo and other campaigners, Bourke's case is now back with the Criminal Cases Review Commission which they hope will lead to an appeal. So has Thomas Bourke been the victim of a shocking miscarriage of justice? Simon Cox investigates. Producer: Sally Chesworth. Thomas Bourke has served more than 20 years for murder, but is his conviction safe? |
Anatomy Of A Fraud | 20191112 | 20191117 (R4) | Dodgy diamonds, missing millions - and the victims failed by justice. It starts with a phone call. Cynthia Tuck, a retired nurse and widow in her 80's, is charmed by a man offering her the chance to help put her grandchildren through university. All it would take is a small initial investment. Fast forward three years and Mrs Tuck has lost her entire life savings - hundreds of thousands of pounds. Three years on, in 2019, her fight for justice has hit a dead end. No charges. No trial. Everyone involved still at large. What went wrong? And why is the system failing millions of fraud victims like Cynthia Tuck? Reporter: Dan Whitworth Producer: Simon Maybin Editor: Hugh Levinson |
Are Bribe Firms Escaping Justice? | 20100525 | 20100530 (R4) | For years Britain has been criticised for failing to investigate and punish companies who use bribery and corruption to win contracts overseas. Just before the General Election, Parliament approved a new Bribery law. And in recent months the Serious Fraud Office has adopted a new strategy, prosecuting a string of British-based firms and managers who have pleaded guilty to corrupt practices abroad. It seemed that prosecutors were finally beginning to get results. But now English judges are objecting to the American-style plea bargains which have encouraged guilty companies to confess to past illegality. One senior judge has warned prosecutors they have no power to strike such deals, which tend to offer a more lenient sentence in return for an admission of guilt. And in another case, an executive who cooperated with prosecutors has been sentenced to a year in prison for helping to bribe officials in the Greek health service to buy his company's medical equipment. In the first of a new series of 'File on 4', Allan Urry investigates bribery by British firms abroad, and serious disarray in the court system which should be bringing them to justice. Producer: Andy Denwood. Is Britain's drive to curb bribery and corruption working? Allan Urry investigates. |
Armed Forces Equipment | 20091006 | 20091011 (R4) | Gerry Northam asks why it seems so hard to buy the right equipment for our forces. |
Arms Smugglers | 20100713 | 20100718 (R4) | Britain claims to have one of the most effective arms export control regimes in the world, but Allan Urry investigates how weapons dealers are using the UK to get huge secret consignments to the Middle East and other conflict zones, in defiance of UN Security Council sanctions. Producer: Gail Champion Editor: David Ross. Allan Urry investigates UK connections to the illegal weapons trade in conflict zones. |
Artificial Intelligence: The Criminal Threat | 20231128 | 20231203 (R4) | Artificial intelligence, or AI, makes it possible for machines to learn - and in the future it will perform many tasks now done by humans. But are criminals and bad actors ahead of the curve? AI is already being used to commit fraud and other crimes by generating fake videos and audio; fast emerging threats that form just part of a potential new crime wave. File on 4 investigates. Reporter: Paul Connolly Producer: Fergus Hewison Editor: Carl Johnston Artificial intelligence: are the criminals one step ahead? File on 4 investigates. Artificial intelligence, or AI, makes it possible for machines to learn. But are criminals already ahead of the curve when it comes to AI? File on 4 investigates. |
Assaulted, By My Massage Therapist | 20220712 | 20220717 (R4) | The massage industry has bounced back since covid, but File on 4 investigates the darker side of this industry. Hannah Price speaks to women who were sexually assaulted by massage therapists. In some cases, the therapist went on to assault other women even after they'd been arrested. The programme reveals how the industry is largely unregulated - with no licensing of practitioners. It means anyone, even without qualifications or with a criminal conviction, could practice as a massage therapist. Sexual assault victims and professional bodies in the sector are calling for more regulation to be introduced to protect both clients and therapists from sexual violence and harm. Reporter: Hannah Price Producers: Paul Grant and Eleanor Layhe Editor: Carl Johnston Calls for the massage industry to be regulated after sexual assaults by therapists. |
Asset Returns | 20120703 | 20120708 (R4) | The Arab world's newest governments are desperate to retrieve billions banked in Britain by despots including Libya's Muammar Gaddafi and Hosni Mubarak of Egypt. The money, they say, was stolen from their people and is needed to rebuild shattered economies. In 'File on 4' Jenny Cuffe reports on the Arab nations' mounting impatience at the lengthy and costly process of investigation demanded to prove that assets were illicitly obtained by the now deposed leaders, their families and associates. Already Egypt has gone to court to demand more information from the British Treasury about where their lost billions are stashed. And campaigners in Tunisia - the first of the Arab Spring nations - complain Britain is dragging its feet. They contrast slow progress in London with a more helpful response from the country once renowned as the most impenetrable of banking fortresses: Switzerland. Producer: Andy Denwood Presenter: Jenny Cuffe. Are stolen Arab billions still locked in British banks? Jenny Cuffe reports. |
Asylum Seekers | 20150210 | 20150215 (R4) | Around 28 thousand people are claiming asylum in the UK. They're accommodated in some of the nation's most deprived areas while their cases are considered. Now, with numbers on the rise, some communities say they're struggling to cope. Allan Urry reports from the Northwest of England where, in some areas, there's concern about growing pressures on health services and schools. In Liverpool the City's Mayor, Joe Anderson, talks of an asylum 'apartheid' and says other towns and cities need to take a fairer share. In Rochdale in Greater Manchester, there are more asylum seekers than the whole of the south east of England. The local MP Simon Danczuk says he's worried the pressures could undermine the good community relations that have always existed in the town. Recent stories of asylum seekers living in fancy hotels have led to outraged newspaper headlines but are they a symptom of bigger failings in the UK's system for housing those who come here seeking refuge? Reporter: Allan Urry Producer: Matt Precey. With rising numbers of asylum seekers, are some UK communities struggling to cope? |
At Risk? Children In Residential Care | 20190521 | 20190526 (R4) | Children's homes offer sanctuary to young people whose childhoods have been disrupted by abuse, neglect or family breakdown. More than 2,200 homes are spread across the country providing young people the opportunity to get their lives back on track. For many, a residential home provides much needed stability and care when there had previously been none, and a vital opportunity to experience a settled childhood. But with pressure on the children's social care sector mounting, File on 4 investigates whether some homes are failing to give young people the second chance they need. New research suggests concerning levels of police involvement in the lives of care home residents, and growing concerns about children absconding. Where do they go, and who's looking out for them? As young people in residential care are particularly susceptible to grooming for sexual abuse and county lines activity, how can care home staff prevent predators from gaining access to them - and when a child is intent on absconding, what options do staff have to keep them safe? Reporter: Paul Connolly Producer: Ben Robinson Editor: Gail Champion Photo credit: Sam Thomas\Getty Where do they go? Why vulnerable young people are going missing from children's homes. |
Back Home From Isis | 20180619 | 20180624 (R4) | For years, the so-called Islamic State has managed to attract thousands of wannabe jihadis and jihadi brides to join their caliphate. The extremist propaganda, online videos and recruiters have seen thousands of people from all over the world flock to Iraq and Syria to join IS; including 850 men, women and children from the UK. The brutality of the terror group is now well known, partly due to their own publicity online. Videos and stories of beheadings, floggings and sex slaves have been released to the public, drawing in a new wave of foreign fighters. IS has since had setbacks, losing ground in it's strongholds in Iraq and Syria and its administrative capital Raqqa. But the caliphate has not admitted defeat, instead promising more attacks in the West. It's thought 50% of UK citizens who left to join IS, have now returned home- the rest are dead, detained or missing. What happens to these returnees when they come back? With only a minority being prosecuted and imprisoned, what efforts are being made to de-radicalise the rest? This investigation explores the danger posed by UK returnees, the efforts to de-radicalise and reintegrate them and the difficulties of proving they were ever part of the caliphate once they've returned home. Reporter: Paul Kenyon Producer: Kate West Editor: Gail Champion. What risks do returning jihadis from IS in Iraq and Syria pose in the UK? |
Badly Behaving Bankers | 20090526 | 20090531 (R4) | Allan Urry investigates more claims of bad behaviour on the part of bankers. |
Bailiffs Behaving Badly | 20240123 | 20240128 (R4) | Councils in England and Wales are owed half a billion pounds - mainly in uncollected taxes and fines; money that's needed for essential services. Now, more and more, many are turning to bailiffs to recover the money. File on 4 hears from those on the receiving end - and industry insiders who say their colleagues are incentivised to behave badly. Mark Lobel also speaks to those at the forefront of industry reform who believe say the industry still needs to clean up its act. Reporter: Mark Lobel Producers: Phil Marzouk Journalism Assistant: Tim Fernley Editor: Carl Johnston ~File On 4 investigates bad behaviour in the bailiff industry. Councils are increasingly using bailiffs to recover debts on behalf of local authorities. Mark Lobel speaks to those working in the industry about their tactics. With the continuing cost of living crisis meaning more and more people are falling into debt, File on 4 uncovers the rising use of bailiffs by councils, and the bad behaviour that continues to blight the industry. Mark Lobel speaks to those at the forefront of industry reform, those who have fallen into debt and working bailiffs willing to go on the record about the ills of their industry and the bad behaviour of their colleagues. ~File On 4 tells the story behind the killing of schoolgirl Brianna Ghey. |
Bankrupt Birmingham | 20231010 | 20231015 (R4) | A perfect storm of equal pay claims and a huge overspend on an IT project has brought Europe's largest local authority to its knees. But how did Birmingham go from the triumph of hosting the Commonwealth Games to financial ruin in just over a year? Adrian Goldberg investigates for File on 4. Producer: Phil Marzouk Producer: Fergus Hewison Producer: Megan Jones Reporter: Adrian Goldberg Technical Producer: Matthew Dempsey Production Coordinator: Tim Fernley Editor: Clare Fordham Why is Europe's largest local authority facing financial meltdown? Europe's largest local authority is facing financial meltdown. For File on 4, Adrian Goldberg investigates what's brought Birmingham to its knees. |
Behind Closed Doors | 20161025 | 20161030 (R4) | This July, days after walking into the top job at number 10, Theresa May renewed her commitment to crack down on modern day slavery, describing it as 'the great human rights issue of our time'. The 2015 Modern Slavery Act gave prosecutors more options to pursue offenders, it handed judges the ability to dole out life sentences and promised more protection for victims. But in the clamour to tackle modern slavery, has the plight of overseas domestic workers, who toil in the homes of wealthy overseas visitors as nannies, cooks and cleaners, been forgotten? This summer File on 4 followed migrant domestic workers as they escaped abusive employers in the dead of night. Through their stories, the programme questions whether recent measures go far enough to adequately protect an invisible workforce who've been tricked and trapped into a life of exploitation. Reporter: Phillip Kemp Producers: Sarah Shebbeare & Ben Robinson. Are foreign domestic workers the forgotten victims of modern slavery in Britain? |
Benefit Sanctions | 20150120 | 20150125 (R4) | Benefit sanctions are supposed to be part of a system helping people back to work. But critics say they penalise the vulnerable and are among the reasons for the growing use of food banks. So how fair is the Government's system of withholding state payments for those who don't comply with welfare rules? Allan Urry hears from whistleblowers who allege some JobCentrePlus staff are setting claimants up to fail in order to meet internal performance targets. Why did a recovering amputee lose his benefits because he didn't answer the phone? Reporter: Allan Urry Producer: Nicola Dowling. Benefit sanctions are aimed at shirkers, but is the system also penalising the vulnerable? |
Bent Cops | 20110208 | 20110213 (R4) | Are police doing enough to tackle corruption in their ranks? Following a number of high profile trials in which officers have been jailed, Allan Urry investigates the crimes they committed and asks if more could have been done to stop them. A constable given a life sentence earlier this month for a series of sex attacks on vulnerable women he met while on duty, had previously been put on trial for rape, during his time in the army. Why didn't the police service know this when they agreed to employ him? How was a police sergeant able to live a double life as a respected bobby and as the leader of a ruthless underworld crime gang, dealing drugs, laundering money, and intimidating witnesses? Producer: Ian Muir-Cochrane. Are police doing enough to tackle corruption in their ranks? Allan Urry investigates. |
Bent Cops? | 20160112 | 20160117 (R4) | In the first of a new series, Allan Urry investigates claims by former officers from one of Britain's biggest police forces that they've been the victims of crimes committed by their own colleagues. He hears claims of dirty tricks by a secretive police unit within Greater Manchester Police which some officers say have led to criminal charges against them. Others say they've been unfairly targeted through the internal disciplinary process, with evidence distorted and statements changed. Are they bad cops with an axe to grind or victims of corrupt practices and institutional cover up? Producers: Sally Chesworth and Neil Morrow. Allan Urry investigates claims of dirty tricks in one of Britain's biggest police forces. |
Beyond Grenfell: The Cladding Lottery | 20190625 | 20190630 (R4) | Last month, the government announced a £200 million pound fund to remove and replace Grenfell style cladding on 170 privately owned tower blocks. But there are many more high rise residential buildings covered in other types of cladding which are also flammable and not covered by the bailout. One of the most widely used is High Pressure Laminate or HPL which is currently undergoing fire safety tests ordered by the government. Some experts say the cladding is very likely to fail the test. ~File On 4 speaks to the families facing bills of more than 20 thousand pounds to remove HPL cladding and make their homes safe. They live in fear of a fire breaking out and since the hazard is no fault of their own, they believe the developers, the building owners or the Government should pay the cost of putting it right. Public buildings, such as hospitals, are also having to pay to remove dangerous cladding. Eight hospitals had the same Aluminium Composite Material or ACM cladding as Grenfell tower. Only one has completed the work, while others are still taking it down or have closed wards while they decide how to deal with the problem. The programme hears concerns that the disruption could have compromised patient safety. Reporter: Melanie Abbott Producer: Paul Grant The families and hospitals facing huge bills to replace dangerous cladding. |
Biosecurity | 20120207 | 20120212 (R4) | Dutch and American scientists have succeeded in mutating a deadly bird-flu virus to make it easily transmissible to humans. If it got out, it could start a fatal epidemic. They keep it securely locked away in their laboratories, but want to publish the biological recipe for making it. In an unprecedented move, the U.S. government is pressing them to keep the details of their experiments secret for fear that bio-terrorists could use the organism to kill hundreds of millions of people. In the UK there are more than 300 laboratories working on the second highest danger level organisms such as tuberculosis. In 10 of them, they work at the highest risk level on viruses like ebola and the most deadly strains of flu. Every year there are hundreds of biological related incidents reported to the Health and Safety Executive but while the headline numbers are published the details are shrouded in secrecy and rarely come to light. Meanwhile, a rapidly developing branch of science known as 'synthetic biology' offers dramatic possibilities for developing new vaccines and targeting many lethal diseases. But does it also increase the risk that newly-created organisms could be used for harmful purposes as the necessary research techniques spread out from authorised laboratories to a network of DIY enthusiasts? There is growing concern that that biological techniques are advancing so quickly that they outstrip the mechanisms to control them. The FBI has tasked a unit to monitor the DIY enthusiasts but admits it only has limited resources to do so. Could genetic mutation of pathogens become as commonplace as home-brewing? And how well protected is the UK against biological threats? Reporter : Gerry Northam Producer : Nicola Dowling Editor : David Ross. As scientists alter viruses to make potentially deadly mutations, is the public at risk? |
Bitter Brew | 20190709 | 20190714 (R4) | With the rise in ethical consumerism, File on 4 explores the hidden suffering of tea workers in Africa. Attacked because of their tribal identity, reporter Anna Cavell hears harrowing stories of murder, rape and violence and asks whether their employers, Unilever, could or should have done more to protect them from the violence. Update 30 July 2019: The Supreme Court has now refused the tea pluckers leave to appeal against earlier judicial decisions which didn't go in their favour. This was the last legal avenue open to them in England. Lawyers acting for the workers say they now plan to discuss the case with the UN Working Group for Business and Human Rights. Producer: Nicola Dowling Reporter: Anna Cavell Editors: Gail Champion & Andrew Smith Photo credit:; carefullychosen\Getty Images Bitter Brew: The harrowing story of rape, murder and violence on a Kenyan tea plantation. |
Bitter Medicine | 20110118 | 20110123 (R4) | Legal aid has been withdrawn from a long-running case against a pharmaceutical giant. Children born with severe disabilities, including spina bifida, were suing the manufacturer of an anti-epilepsy drug which their mothers took during pregnancy and which they blame for causing birth defects - a claim the company denies. After years of legal proceedings which the claimants' solicitors say have so far cost £3.25m, the Legal Services Commision refused a much smaller sum to take the case to trial, just weeks before hearings were due to start. As a result, more than a hundred claimants are left with no chance of their day in court. Their case was not deemed strong enough to pass the standard test which requires them to prove that the drug doubled (at least) the risk of harm. This test is called into question by experts in cases against pharmaceutical companies in Britain and the USA. A lower level of proof is needed in American courts. The government has announced that future patients in England and Wales alleging clinical negligence or personal injury can expect to have their applications for legal aid refused under its programme of spending cuts. No such change of policy is planned in Scotland. A case is proceeding there with support from legal aid by a patient who took another drug, for relieving arthritis, which is blamed for increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes - again this is denied by the company concerned. Patients in England and Wales who took the same drug and suffered heart attacks have been turned down for legal aid funding and have shelved their cases. Will government cuts effectively put wealthy pharmaceutical companies beyond challenge in the civil courts? Reporter: Gerry Northam Producer: Gail Champion. Is the government making it almost impossible to sue a drug company? |
Border Security: All At Sea? | 20140930 | 20141005 (R4) | How well are Britain's borders patrolled and defended at a time when the authorities are battling to stem the flow of illegal immigrants coming across the Channel and tightening national security because of fears of a terrorist attack by extremists returning from fighting in Syria and Iraq? Allan Urry assesses the vulnerability of our ports, struggling with cuts to Border Force personnel and problems with a computer system that was supposed to have identified all those coming into and going out of the UK. The programme reveals how security checks on cargo are being compromised and hears concern about the gaps in surveillance of our coastline. Producer: Emma Forde Reporter: Allan Urry. With concern over illegal immigrants and returning extremists, how secure are UK borders? |
Breaking Into Britain | 20170117 | 20170122 (R4) | Revealed: the secret UK immigration dodges on offer on the high street. Theresa May has promised to stick to a promise to bring down net migration to the tens of thousands, and post the vote for Brexit, is under pressure to be tough on immigration. But File on 4 has found a market in fake documentation is helping some migrants who aren't eligible to come here, to get the necessary visas. High street immigration advisers, and even a solicitor tell the programme's undercover researcher how to buy their way in using fake documentation. The programme asks what the authorities are doing to catch the crooks. Reporter: Jane Deith Producer: Paul Grant Editor: Gail Champion. An expose of firms offering to produce fake papers to enable migrants to get into the UK. |
Britain In Flood | 20130226 | 20130303 (R4) | Has the Government done enough to protect communities from flooding? Were cuts in river maintenance work responsible for farmers land in Somerset being underwater for months? Why are planners allowing developers to continue to build on floodplains? A committee of MPs accuses the Coalition of being woefully slow to bring in measures to combat the problem. Allan Urry investigates. Producer Nicola Dowling. Has the government done enough to protect us from flooding? Allan Urry investigates. |
Britain's Ghost Companies | 20210511 | 20210516 (R4) | Tens of thousands of men and women in some of the poorest parts of the Philippines are being recruited to be directors of companies based in the UK. Companies which have no offices or full time staff, they don't buy or sell anything, in fact they only exist on paper. But as Angus Crawford has discovered they form part of a complex web which may be costing Britain tens of millions of pounds in lost tax. A web designed by experts in order to shield firms from the full costs of employing their workers. His investigation reveals a trail which leads from a single mother in the Home Counties, via the backstreets of Manila, to workers at Covid testing stations across the UK. Reporter: Angus Crawford Producer: Anna Meisel Editor: Gail Champion Why thousands of foreign directors head up UK firms they actually have little to do with. |
Britain's Plutonium Mountain | 20130219 | 20130224 (R4) | The Government is currently deciding what to do with the UK's civilian plutonium stockpile - the largest in the world. Some are concerned that it could become the target of terrorists intent on making a dirty bomb. The stockpile has come from nuclear waste that was reprocessed to extract plutonium which was to have been used to power a new generation of fast breeder reactors. But that project failed to be finished and now just over 100 tonnes of it is being stored at Sellafield in Cumbria. The stockpile grew even more when the UK received imports from Japan and Germany which it had hoped to convert into fuel - again this project has failed to deliver. The Government is considering a number of options. Convert the plutonium into mixed oxide (Mox) fuel and then burn the fuel in conventional, nuclear reactors. This would involve the construction of a second Mox fuel plant at Sellafield despite the fact the first plant failed to produce any significant amount of Mox and was closed in 2011. Burn the plutonium in a new breed of Prism fast reactors. But critics say the technology is not proven and therefore risky. Treat it as a deadly waste product and bury the plutonium currently stored at Sellafield deep underground for thousands of years. Again critics say burying waste is risky and even then the plutonium would have to be treated before it could go into the facility. Supporters of plutonium as fuel still claim that would be throwing away a potentially valuable asset. On top of that we are not likely to have a repository for decades and very few local authorities have volunteered to consider having it in their back yard. Rob Broomby investigates the difficult questions facing the Government whose decision will potentially bring in a bill for the taxpayer of billions of pounds. And how much of gamble will it be choosing what to do with this most deadly of substances? Producer: Ian Muir-Cochrane. What to do with the world's largest stockpile of civilian plutonium being kept in the UK? |
Business As Usual? | 20110705 | 20110710 (R4) | In the wake of the financial disaster, policy makers and regulators around the world pledged to make banking safer and more transparent. But the reality, many experts claim, is proving very different. For this edition of File on 4, Michael Robinson investigates some of the apparently straightforward financial products banks now offer and uncovers disturbing complexity. One product, called Exchange Traded Funds, appears to offer private individuals and pension funds a cheap and simple way to invest - in anything from the top 100 companies on the British stock exchange, to obscure companies in emerging economies or even to baskets of commodities. Beneath this apparent simplicity, the programme discovers that many EFTs hide a forest of financial engineering designed to increase the profits of the banks which provide them. But at what risk? Another product, so-called 'Naked Credit Default Swaps' may have an obscure name but they were at the heart of the financial crisis and are still one of the most widespread instruments used by banks. They are now accused by some of exacerbating Europe's sovereign debt problems. A leading British financial academic likens them to taking out insurance on someone else's life. There is then an obvious incentive, he tells the programme, to push the person who's life you have insured under a bus. On both sides of the Atlantic, regulators hoped to reduce the risks of this massive market. But, as the programme discovers, there's widespread doubt among financial professionals that they've succeeded. Producer: Sally Chesworth. Do the complex financial products banks still offer threaten another meltdown? |
Can Rotherham Recover? | 20151020 | 20151025 (R4) | Like other steel communities, Rotherham faces the loss of hundreds of jobs following the recent announcement of redundancies at the local plant. It's the latest blow to a town now synonymous with widespread child grooming. Last year the Jay Report estimated that 1400 young people had been sexually abused there. It said most of the victims were white and most of the perpetrators were Asian men. So what's been the impact on community relations and how far has the scandal affected the local economy? For File on 4, Manveen Rana returns to the town to talk to families, business owners and the authorities to find out whether Rotherham can recover. Producer: Sally Chesworth. A lasting legacy? Have the sexual abuse revelations blighted Rotherham in the longer-term? |
Can Sex Offenders And Violent Criminals Be Rehabilitated In Prison? | 20191008 | 20191013 (R4) | The decision to scrap the Sex Offender Treatment Programme raised major concerns about the rehabilitation of prisoners and the impact on victims. The scheme was replaced five years after initial research suggested it wasn't working - and might even increase the risk of re-offending. There are now calls to ensure that other courses, including those which cater for violent offenders, are properly evaluated. Campaigners claim the system for assessing the effectiveness of such programmes is too secretive and needs to be made more open. Some experts believe there's been an over-reliance on treatment schemes as a way of calculating the risks posed by prisoners. Victims say some prisoners are playing the system - accessing programmes to convince the authorities they're safe to be released. Former inmates say education and training are more likely to stop offenders returning to a life of crime, while there's emerging evidence that providing newly-released prisoners with support in the community is the key. Reporter Danny Shaw Producer Nicola Dowling Editor Carl Johnston Photo credit; Motortion\Getty |
Can We Fix It? The Inside Story Of Match Fixing In Tennis | 20190205 | 20190210 (R4) | Last month, law enforcement officials in Spain said they had broken up a major match fixing ring in tennis. The Guardia Civil said 28 players competing at the lower levels of tennis were implicated. It's alleged that a group of Armenians had bribed the players to fix matches. ~File On 4 reveals the inside story of how players and betting gangs are seeking to corrupt the lower tiers of the sport. In many cases, a player only has to lose a set or certain games - not the whole match - to get paid. Players and fixers communicate on social media as matches get underway to ensure the correct outcome is achieved. The rewards can be significant with players sometimes being paid thousands of pounds - often much more than they can earn in prize money. For the betting gangs who have placed money on a guaranteed outcome, the pay off can be much greater. Two years after File on 4 first revealed concerns about match fixing in the game, the programme looks at how the tennis authorities have responded to the issue and examines the measures put forward by an independent panel to reduce the risk of corruption. Reporter: Paul Connolly Producer: Paul Grant Editor: Gail Champion Photo credit: AFP / Getty Images The inside story of how players and betting gangs are fixing matches in tennis. |
Car Emissions, Coming Clean? | 20170711 | 20170716 (R4) | Volkswagen Group faced a 15 billion fine after the US environmental protection agency found it had fitted cars with software designed to cheat official pollution tests. Their engines seemed clean in laboratory tests; on the road they emitted much higher levels of nitrogen oxide gas which can damage our health. Although 8.5 million VW engines in Europe were fitted with the same so-called 'defeat devices', no EU state has yet to take any action against the manufacturer. ~File On 4 tells the story of how the emissions scandal has spread to manufacturers beyond Volkswagen. Europe's MEPs have voted for a new 'real driving emissions' test, but critics accuse European Council ministers of watering it down to please their domestic car industries. A proposal for an independent EU agency to oversee emissions tests and issue sanctions was blocked. And the manufacturers have been given breathing space before they must meet the legal emissions standards - the new legislation lets them emit beyond the pollution limits for years to come. Diesel cars were supposed to bring down emissions of the greenhouse gas CO2. But have those plans now gone up in smoke? The programme asks whether this is the next emissions scandal and whether Europe has the power to make cars as clean as they say they are. Reporter: Jane Deith Producer: Rob Cave. After the US diesel scandal, does Europe also need to come clean about car emissions? |
Care Homes: When An Inspector Calls | 20101123 | 20101128 (R4) | A new law regulating care homes in England came into force last month. All homes must be registered and ensure they meet certain standards of quality and safety. The regulator - the Care Quality Commission - is promising to monitor homes and take action against those who fail to meet standards. But unions say the numbers of inspectors has been cut. They are warning of fewer inspections and say staff are so overstretched they could miss vital warning signs of abuse or neglect. Worried relatives say they feel their concerns are not being heard. Fran Abrams asks whether the elderly in care homes are being adequately protected. Producer: Paul Grant. Is enough being done to protect the elderly in care homes? Fran Abrams investigates. |
Carers In Conflict | 20120124 | 20120129 (R4) | Jenny Cuffe talks to foster parents who find themselves battling with local authorities over the children in their care. They describe a Kafkaesque nightmare where doors are shut, telephone calls and emails unanswered, even court orders are ignored. Meanwhile, vulnerable children are treated as pawns as social workers move them from one place to another. In one case investigated by File on 4, foster parents who offered to care for four siblings were denied the financial and practical support they needed from the council. Their official complaints were upheld yet key recommendations continued to be ignored and, as a consequence, the children have now been split up. After giving up their jobs to care for the children, the couple are now in debt and have to sell their home. The local MP describes the council's treatment of the family as outrageous. He says the case is extreme but not unusual and he's called for an enquiry. In another case, a teenager with complex mental and physical needs was unlawfully removed from the foster home where he'd grown up. His sister told File on 4: 'When he was in his foster mum's care he was always clean, always happy and he looked well but when I saw him he was dishevelled. It was as if someone took him away from himself. I felt his personality had gone.' When his foster mother went to court to get him back, she was vilified by the council who used public funds to defend their actions to the bitter end but lost in court. A recent report identified a shortage of foster carers in the UK but are some councils driving away the people who should be their best resource? Producer: Sally Chesworth. ~File On 4 investigates claims of bullying and abuse of power by social services. |
Cash From The Crisis | 20111025 | 20111030 (R4) | World leaders preparing for the G20 conference are facing a threat to the global economy from the on-going Eurozone sovereign debt crisis. But as they try to avert further economic catastrophe some investors see opportunities to profit from the mayhem. Michael Robinson reveals how on-going economic volatility and uncertainty can also present golden investment opportunities - and how, through complex trades, bets and investments, some find cash in the current crisis. Producer: Gail Champion Reporter: Michael Robinson Editor: David Ross. How investors are profiting from the eurozone crisis. Can money be made from disaster? |
Catastrophe At The Academy | 20230117 | 20230122 (R4) | ~File On 4 investigates events that led to the death of two people at London's Brixton O2 Academy in December. The venue was shut down after the fatal crowd crush ahead of a concert by the Nigerian artist Asake. Security guard Gaby Hutchinson, 23, and Rebecca Ikumelo, 33, died in hospital after the incident at the south London venue on 15 December. Some said ticketless fans tried to force there way into the venue. But File on 4 has heard compelling evidence that suggests there were other reasons the venue became overcrowded. Producer: Anna Meisel Reporter: Greg McKenzie Assistant Producer: Patrick Kiteley Digital Producer: Melanie Stewart-Smith Journalism Assistant: Tim Fernley Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Editor: Carl Johnston How did two people die at Brixton O2 Academy? |
Caught On Camera: The Special School Staff Who Abused Kids | 20240430 | 20240508 (R4) | Three years ago, dozens of memory sticks were discovered in a sealed box at a school for children with special educational needs. There was 500 hours of footage which showed children being held in so-called 'calming rooms.' The videos showed the children being hit and denied access to a toilet. File on 4 investigates why a subsequent police investigation and an independent inquiry didn't lead to staff being sacked. File on 4 reveals how staff who were filmed hitting, kicking, and leaving children sitting in urine have not been sacked or referred to the barring service. Reporter: Noel Titheradge Producer: Annabel Deas Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Production Coordinator: Tim Fernley Editor: Carl Johnston The special school staff who abused kids and kept their jobs In 2021 CCTV footage of children being abused was discovered at a special school. But staff caught hitting and kicking children were not sacked or referred to the barring service |
Causes Of The Swine Flu Virus | 20090609 | 20090614 (R4) | Julian O'Halloran investigates claims that industrial-scale pig farms in America played a key role in exposing us to the swine flu virus. Local people near the first known case in Mexico questioned the role of an American-owned industrial scale pig farm not far away. Any link was strenuously denied, however, and the US pork industry soon helped persuade medical authorities to drop the term 'swine flu'. But for years American virologists have been studying the links between new and potentially risky flu viruses and farm animals. Whatever the role of pig farms in Mexico, experts say that parts of the current flu virus can be traced back to outbreaks of swine flu, then affecting only pigs, in several American states in 1998. As Julian reports from the USA, the move to highly intensive pig farming methods by some companies has long been denounced by green groups and the animal welfare lobby, who allege massive damage to the environment, intolerable smells, and health risks to farm workers and their families. Now they are asking if factory farming conditions could have increased the dangers of a global flu pandemic. Julian O'Halloran investigates claims about the causes of the swine flu virus. |
Changing Tides: Can The Uk Keep Its Renewable Energy Promises? | 20161018 | 20161023 (R4) | The world's first tidal lagoon power station in Wales, which was in the Conservative manifesto, has stalled, as the government seems to be baulking at the price. The Swansea Bay lagoon, and five more that would follow around the country, would generate as much electricity as Hinkley Point C nuclear power station. But does the government's commitment to the wave of new nuclear threaten the future of renewable energy in the UK? Jane Deith hears about the options the government's considered to meet an EU target of providing 15% of energy from renewables by 2020. Does the answer lie in buying in renewable power from Norway, or 'credit transfers' from countries who've hit their targets? Or does the commitment need to renegotiated completely? With growing pressure to keep a lid on bills, will renewables come second to economic interests? Reporter: Jane Deith Producer: Rob Cave. Holding back the tide: will the UK keep its renewable energy promises? |
Charities, Giving And Taking | 20101109 | 20101114 (R4) | Under the Prime Minister's project for The Big Society, the coalition government wants charities to have much greater involvement in the running of public services. At the same time, substantial cuts are expected in official regulators which check that charities are competent and honest. Recent financial scandals have shown the vulnerability of even the most prestigious organisations to systematic fraud. The Charity Commission admits that a quarter of charities fail to file their accounts on time, covering a combined annual income of £6 billion. The Commission also says that in future allegations of fraud may no longer be automatically investigated. Meanwhile, other national charities are facing rebellions from lifelong local supporters over planned reorganisations designed to win huge public contracts. Gerry Northam asks if we can be confident that charities are fit and honest enough to take responsibility from the public sector. Producer: Sally Chesworth. Can charities be trusted to run public services well and honestly? Gerry Northam reports. |
Chemical Weapons | 20140107 | 20140112 (R4) | As a complex operation continues to destroy the remainder of Syria's chemical weapons stockpile, how much will we ever know about the supply routes through which the Assad regime acquired the basic ingredients for its arsenal? Vast quantities of chemicals are traded around the world every day, so what chance do we have of controlling their use by rogue states and terrorists? In the first of a new series, Allan Urry reports from the headquarters of the OPCW - the organisation set up to stop the spread of chemical warfare and which is overseeing the removal and destruction of the Syrian weapons. He also investigates the efforts of terrorist groups including Al Qaeda and al Shabab to develop nerve agents of their own; and examines the global attempts to limit the availability of 'dual use' chemicals which are essential in the manufacture of every day products from fertilisers to toothpaste but which can also be turned into powerful explosives for use in IEDs and other bombs. Producer: Paul Grant. Is enough being done to prevent rogue states and terrorists acquiring chemical weapons? |
Child Protection | 20160614 | 20160619 (R4) | The recent deaths of children at the hands of family members have revealed some children's social work departments are still failing children some nine years after the death of Baby P. In some regions the reaction of the Government has been to take social workers out of the hands of councils and put them into independent trusts. So what's been going wrong - and will the radical solution coming out of Whitehall really work? Jenny Chryss investigates. Producer: Rob Cave. What will it take to improve failing children's services - and is change fast enough? |
Childhood Cancer | 20140715 | 20140720 (R4) | Every year more than 1,500 UK children are diagnosed with cancer. For some the outlook is good but for those struck down by one of the rarer cancers, the prognosis can be a bleak one. Two hundred and fifty children die each year from the disease. Parents have told File on 4 there is a worrying lack of research into new drugs for childhood cancers, with youngsters sometimes offered treatments which have hardly changed in the last forty years - treatments that can have a limited chance of success and which can cause fatal, serious and life-long side-effects for those lucky enough to survive. In the battle to get the most up-to-date treatments for children with some of the most aggressive cancers, increasing numbers of families say they are forced to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds to travel abroad to take part in pioneering drugs trials elsewhere. Meanwhile UK researchers say they face a constant battle for funding. They also warn of a loophole in European regulations which they say stops break-through drugs that have been developed for adult cancer sufferers, being developed to benefit children. As science takes the treatment and understanding of disease to new levels, Jane Deith asks whether enough is being done to give children a fighting chance. Reporter: Jane Deith Producer: Nicola Dowling. Childhood Cancer: Is red tape stopping the development of new drug treatments? |
Children Who Abuse Children | 20100316 | 20100321 (R4) | Jackie Long finds out what is being done to help young abusers stop offending. |
Children With Me | 20170627 | 20170702 (R4) | ~File On 4 investigates claims that parents whose children suffer from a crippling illness that leaves them sick and permanently exhausted have been falsely accused of child abuse. Parents of children with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) reveal how they have been investigated and referred for child protection measures on suspicion of a rare form of child abuse known as Fabricated or Induced Illness (FII). FII, also sometimes known as Munchausen's Syndrome by Proxy, is extremely rare and occurs when a parent or carer exaggerates or deliberately causes the symptoms of a child's illness. One charity says FII is being used inappropriately by education and health professionals. We talk to families who claim the stress caused by this accusation has made their children worse. With doctors divided over the best way to treat children, what's the impact on families? Reporter: Matthew Hill Producer: Nicola Dowling. Families of children with a severe fatigue condition say they have been accused of abuse. |
Children's Homes: Profits Before Care? | 20220628 | 20220703 (R4) 20220913 (R4) 20220918 (R4) | Last month an independent children's social care review concluded that providing care for children in residential homes 'should not be based on profit'. The government response was that they have no any objection to profit being made as long as standards of care are properly regulated. But is there a difference in the standard of care between for profit' and not-for-profit' children's homes? With exclusive access to new data from the regulator Ofsted, reporter Tom Wall investigates the companies that are making huge profits from the children's homes to ask whether there is shortfall in care and whether the reforms suggested are necessary. Tom also talks to care leavers and children who have experienced life in homes where profit is a priority. This epsiode of File on 4 is a repeat of the programme first broadcast on Tuesday, June 28, 2022 Reporter: Tom Wall Producer: Jim Booth Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Journalism Assistant: Tim Fernley Production Manager: Sarah Payton Editor: Carl Johnston An investigation into the standards of care provided by 'for profit' children's homes. |
Citizenship For Sale | 20180605 | 20180610 (R4) | Selling passports. It may sound illicit but 'citizenship-by-investment' is a global industry worth billions - and it's completely legal. The idea is simple - invest huge sums of money and in return acquire residency rights or citizenship, even visa-free access to all European member states. The UK offers residency in exchange for an investment of £2 million - or for £10 million, the possibility of British citizenship within two years. And across the world, countries are vying to attract the super-rich through these schemes. But they are attracting attention for the wrong reasons. European MEPs have launched an investigation into a 'Golden Passports' programmes across Europe - including the UK - amid concerns that they pose a corruption risk. In the US, government financial investigators say individuals are buying citizenship to hide their true identity, in an attempt to flout economic sanctions against Iran. Tonight, File on 4 examines the trade in passports and visas for the wealthy and asks whether they deliver any real value for the countries that sell them, and assesses the evidence that they are being used by criminals. Reporter: Alys Harte Producer: David Lewis Editor: Gail Champion. An investigation into the lucrative trade of selling citizenship to the world's rich. |
Coal Comfort? | 20130723 | 20130728 (R4) | The amount of coal burned in Britain's power stations rocketed in 2012 with ministers relying on the fuel to help keep the lights on in the next few years. But coal mining in Britain is now in deep trouble. Two of the UK's major mining firms have collapsed and a third is in trouble following a huge underground fire in February. The fire was at Daw Mill in Warwickshire, one of the few remaining deep mines in the UK. Coming on the back of competition from cheap coal from abroad, the costly fire plunged mine operators UK Coal into financial crisis and has put the pensions of workers at serious risk. As the government negotiates to try to help pick up the pieces Julian O'Halloran discovers UK Coal's problems come on top of heavy penalties imposed in recent years by safety regulators over fatal accidents underground. Meanwhile the collapse of two key operators in Scotland has left a trail of unrestored opencast sites which local people say are blighting their areas. They blame national and local government for failing to force the mining companies to clear up their mess. So what does the future hold for the industry, the miners and local communities. And at what cost to the taxpayer? Producer: Nicola Dowling. Coal keeps the lights on. But as UK mining firms collapse, do ministers have a plan? |
Colleges In Crisis | 20151013 | 20151018 (R4) | David Cameron has promised three million new apprenticeships by 2020. But Further Education colleges must deliver them against a background of year-on-year cuts - with the axe likely to fall again in this Autumn's spending review. The National Audit Office has warned more than a quarter of further education colleges could be deemed financially inadequate by the end of the year. And this month MPs on the Public Accounts Committee will launch an inquiry into the financial sustainability of the sector. But how far is the crisis also a result of poor planning and excessive borrowing by colleges themselves? A File on 4 investigation finds some institutions taking increasingly desperate measures to make ends meet. And it asks whether the sector is being adequately policed: when a college faces financial collapse, what safety nets are in place? Reporter: Fran Abrams Producer: Ian Muir-Cochrane. With millions of new apprenticeships promised, how will cash-strapped FE colleges deliver? |
Community Mental Health Services | 20090929 | 20091004 (R4) | Miriam O'Reilly investigates claims of major problems in community mental health services. |
Computing Calamities | 20100302 | 20100307 (R4) | Gerry Northam asks if some major IT projects could be scrapped by a new government. |
Concerns Over Child Courts | 20100223 | 20100228 (R4) | CAFCASS, the family courts' advisory service, is again facing claims that it is failing the vulnerable children it is supposed to protect. Seven years after reporting that the organisation was in crisis, Jenny Cuffe returns to ask why the service is still facing a backlog of urgent cases and unprecedented delays. Jenny Cuffe asks why CAFCASS, the family courts' advisory service, is facing a backlog. |
Concerns Over Redcaps' Role | 20090310 | 20090315 (R4) | The record of the Royal Military Police in dealing with alleged crimes by UK forces. |
Construction In Crisis? | 20180710 | 20180715 (R4) | In January, Britain's second biggest construction firm, Carillion, spectacularly collapsed under a £1.5 billion debt pile. Thousands of jobs were lost, pensions were put at risk, and around 30 thousand smaller subcontractors, who'd already completed work on projects, were left being owed a total of £2 billion. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn called it a 'watershed' moment, and a report by MPs slammed the government contractor's 'rotten corporate culture', claiming those at the top treated suppliers with 'utter contempt'. There was also a stark warning that a similar collapse could happen 'again, and soon'. But whilst Carillion shone a spotlight on some of the 'reckless' and 'greedy' financial practices used by those at the top of large-scale construction, and left accountants and ministers with questions to answer, has anything changed six months on? ~File On 4 investigates an industry treading a financial tightrope - a world of huge turnovers but tiny profit margins, spiralling debts and late payments. Alistair Jackson speaks to subcontractors who say they're still working in 'a climate of fear', and are being pushed to the brink, financially and emotionally, by their bigger construction counterparts. Reporter: Alistair Jackson Producer: Mick Tucker Editor: Gail Champion. Are construction giants exploiting their suppliers to balance their books? |
Continuing Healthcare: The Secret Fund | 20141118 | 20141123 (R4) | Is demand for long term nursing about to tip NHS finances over the edge? Under the system of 'Continuing Healthcare' people with complex medical needs can claim the costs of nursing and medical help to keep them out of hospital. But the system has become mired in controversy with many people claiming they've been denied funding to which they are entitled. Now there's a deluge of backdated claims against Clinical Commissioning Groups. ~File On 4 finds the backlog is creating long delays in new assessments of patients. And it hears claims the assessments themselves are a postcode lottery, with the chances of being deemed eligible varying wildly between GP commissioning groups. The programme also hears evidence of NHS commissioners and councils fighting each other not to take responsibility for patients. Patients and their families are going to the health ombudsman in their hundreds. 18 clinical commissioning groups are already going to end the year in the red, with some threatened with being put in special measures over their finances. Now they owe millions of pounds in backdated claims, plus interest. Is this creating an incentive to squeeze spending on continuing care? GP commissioners are about to be asked to put £1.9 billion into the pot for new joined-up health and social care services. Do they have the money, or the will, to buy into joined-up care? Reporter: Jane Deith Producer: Nicola Dowling. Care Crisis: Can the NHS afford long-term community nursing care for the old and the sick? |
Contracts Of Interest | 20210622 | 20210627 (R4) | The COVID-19 pandemic led to an urgent need for a range of new government contracts which resulted in billions of pounds of public money being spent under emergency powers which suspended usual procurement rules around competition. This new regime created an unprecedented situation where commercial firms were able to secure large contracts quickly. But did this mean that money was spent without due diligence, regard for transparency - and potentially value for the taxpayer? In a joint investigation with The Guardian and the non-profit investigative organisation Source Material, File on 4 investigates whether some firms were given preferential treatment when lucrative contracts were being awarded. Reporter: Paul Connolly Producer: Anna Meisel Editor: Gail Champion Have some companies had preferential treatment for lucrative government contracts? |
Controlled, Abused And Criminalised | 20211102 | 20211107 (R4) | Livvy Haydock investigates whether women are being unfairly treated by the criminal justice system when coercive and controlling behaviour by a partner is behind their offences. Six years ago, the UK led the world in making coercive and controlling behaviour a crime. In a 2019 landmark judgement, Sally Challen's murder conviction was quashed when the Court of Appeal ruled that years of abuse had contributed to her murdering her husband. But has the criminal justice system really evolved enough to recognise the complex relationship between prolonged abuse and violent crime by women? Reporter: Livvy Haydock Producer: Jim Booth Editor: Nicola Addyman The women who commit crimes after years of controlling and abusive behaviour by partners. |
Controlling My Birth Control | 20220308 | 20220313 (R4) | Reproductive coercion: a form of abuse you've probably never heard of. From deliberately sabotaging contraceptives to forcing someone to have an abortion, it is used to gain power and control - and can have devastating consequences. But with links to domestic violence and even homicide, is enough being done to spot the signs? Rachel Stonehouse investigates. Producer: Alys Harte Editor: Maggie Latham Details of organisations that can provide help and support are available at BBC.co.uk/actionline including: Domestic abuse https://www.BBC.co.uk/programmes/articles/3FQFSnx6SZWsQn3TJYYlFNy/information-and-support-domestic-abuse Sexual abuse and Violence https://www.BBC.co.uk/programmes/articles/22VVM5LPrf3pjYdKqctmMXn/information-and-support-sexual-abuse-and-violence Emotional distress https://www.BBC.co.uk/programmes/articles/4WLs5NlwrySXJR2n8Snszdg/information-and-support-suicide-emotional-distress Rachel Stonehouse investigates a form of abuse called reproductive coercion |
Coronavirus: Stories From Behind The Mask | 20200512 | 20200517 (R4) | They're the intensive care staff we see on the TV news. In their protective equipment, we can't see their expressions - even their own colleagues find it hard to recognise them behind their masks. We can't read their faces, but we can hear their thoughts - as they record a series of diaries as the weeks in the grip of the virus go by. In these recordings for File on 4, doctors and nurses take off their masks and reveal their private emotions and professional fears. They talk from the heart, sharing how they feel about their patients and the emotional toll on them and their families. For the diarists, it's a rare moment to stop and reflect, to mourn the losses and hold on to the glimmers of hope. Reporter: Jane Deith Producer: Paul Grant Editor: Carl Johnston Candid diaries of doctors and nurses recorded over two months of the coronavirus pandemic |
Coronavirus: The Care Homes Catastrophe | 20200519 | 20200524 (R4) | The awful impact of Covid-19 on the lives of care home residents and staff is now well understood. But many in the industry believe the authorities, both local and national, didn't recognise the threat of the virus on the most vulnerable elderly early enough and didn't react quickly enough to stop it spreading through their homes. ~File On 4 hears from those who say opportunities to collect and share information were missed, that vital PPE supplies weren't secured quickly enough and that a policy of discharges of untested patients into care homes was ill thought-out and badly executed. The effect this has had on residential elderly care, they say, isn't just measured in the deaths of those who went too soon, but also in the threat the virus now poses to the survival of the whole private care industry. With testimony from those at the front line at the very beginning of the crisis, File on 4 examines the fight to keep care home residents safe on the frontline and investigates the circumstances which led to care homes becoming one of the most significant crucibles for the virus. Editor; Ciaran Tracey Producers; Rob Cave and Helen Clifton Reporter; Jane Deith Did the authorities react quickly enough to the threat to care homes from Covid-19? |
Coroners Under Scrutiny | 20111115 | 20111120 (R4) | Are families getting justice in the coroner's court? Ann Alexander investigates concerns about the conduct of inquests in England and Wales and asks why there is so much variation in behaviour of coroners and the rigour of their investigations. Under the current system, it is up to the coroner what evidence he or she relies on, but this can leave families unhappy at the verdict and with little hope of appeal. The Coroners and Justice Act 2009 included long awaited reforms to the coronial system. At its centre was the role of Chief Coroner, but the coalition Government said the post was unaffordable and want it scrapped. So are Ministers missing a chance to ensure judicial oversight, enforce national standards and increase accountability? Presenter: Ann Alexander Producer: Paul Grant. Ann Alexander investigates whether families are getting justice in the coroner's court. |
Corporate Fraudsters | 20090721 | 20090726 (R4) | Are some of the UK's biggest corporate fraudsters now practically immune from prosecution? |
Cost Of Living Forcing Children Into Care | 20221220 | 20230101 (R4) | The cost of living crisis is placing huge pressure on families across the country, many of whom were already living in poverty and struggling to make ends meet. Now social services say the pressure on parents is causing a significant increase in family breakdowns and the number of children being taken into care. Reporter Paul Connolly speaks to parents who fear the cost of living crisis could see them lose their children and investigates whether enough is being done to prevent families breaking down. ~File On 4 hears from social workers on the frontline who say more and more children are falling into extreme poverty and face a daily battle to help their parents keep them safe. The programme uncovers new data which reveals the increasing pressure the cost of living crisis is placing on children's social care and asks what the future holds for a service already struggling to meet demand. Reporter: Paul Connolly Producer: Ben Robinson Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Editor: Carl Johnston An investigation finds the cost of living crisis will force more children into care. |
Cost-cutting In Forensic Science | 20091208 | 20091213 (R4) | The government's forensic science service is crucial to taclking crime, but is shedding hundreds of jobs and closing half its laboratory facilities in a drive to make the organisation more commercial. Fran Abrams investigates whether or not the aggressive cost-cutting in beginning to hit the way the service operates and consequently undermine justice. Fran Abrams examines aggressive cost-cutting in the government's forensic science service. |
Costing The Games | 20111108 | 20111113 (R4) | With plans for future use of London's Olympic stadium in disarray, Allan Urry asks whether taxpayers' billions will leave a lasting legacy from 2012. London's successful bid to stage the 2012 Olympics placed great emphasis on the benefits it could create for Britain and its capital city. Not only should the Games bequeath impressive new sporting facilities to the people of London, but the event and its aftermath was expected to kick-start economic development in the East End -- still one of the least prosperous parts of the country. Has the forward planning paid off? Controversy and confusion still shrouds the future ownership and operation of London's Olympic stadium. Despite bids from rival football clubs, the stadium remains in public ownership. The Olympic village meanwhile has been sold to developers at a loss to taxpayers, and some critics claim a major opportunity to embed a new science and technology research centre on the Olympic park has been squandered. With mounting pressure on Games organisers and Government to recoup the taxpayers' investment in the Olympics, many Londoners fear that the early promises of economic regeneration for the East End will fail to materialise. Reporter: Allan Urry Producer: Andy Denwood. Will Britain's Olympic billions buy a lasting legacy for taxpayers? |
Council Asset Sales | 20130618 | 20130623 (R4) | Local authorities across the UK are facing tough decisions as they try to balance their books in the face of unprecedented funding cuts - with many opting to sell land and buildings to reduce spending and bring in much needed capital. But, one person's white elephant is another's much loved local facility, so the choice of what goes on the market often causes great public resentment. Jenny Chryss visits four local authorities where announcements about asset sales have caused serious questions to be asked. She finds allegations of decisions taken behind closed doors, sums that don't stack up and property that could end up being mothballed for years to come. So are councils getting value for money for their tax payers? Or are they out of their depth when they negotiate with the private sector, especially in one of the harshest property markets for years? And with a major shift in the way councils are audited, is there a danger that mistakes could go unnoticed and unchallenged? Producer: Rob Cave. Are taxpayers getting value for money when cash strapped councils sell off their assets? |
Councils In Crisis | 20170321 | 20170326 (R4) | There's a quiet revolution going on in our Town Halls. With funding slashed, Local Government is tasked with finding new ways to raise money and deliver services, or face failing to comply with its legal obligations. As councils in England are tasked with becoming more self sufficient, File on 4 examines the different approaches councils are taking in an effort to balance the books. As some invest in commercial property others are spinning off traditional council departments into new companies with commercial divisions. The aim is to plough profits back into services. But as the programme discovers these plans don't always work out. What happens when there is no profit? As the pressure on adult social care grows, some councils now face the twin struggles of meeting demand, with the need to turn a profit. Is this too much of a gamble in services which can mean the difference between life and death? Allan Urry investigates the scale of the challenge as local authorities grapple with rising demand, falling income, and new ways of doing business. Reporter: Allan Urry Producer: Laura Harmes. The local councils turning to commercial investments to balance the books. |
Counterfeit Drugs | 20090203 | 20090208 (R4) | Allan Urry investigates the sale of counterfeit drugs to GPs, hospitals and chemists. |
Counting The Cost: Antidepressant Use In Children | 20180724 | More antidepressants than ever before are being prescribed to young people in Britain, despite fears that they can cause harm in some cases. What are the driving factors behind the increase? Is there any merit to claims the drugs are ineffective - and, in some cases, have serious side effects in children? And is the NHS providing the proper support to young people affected by mental illness who are turning to medication to cope? This, however, is not the first time a surge in the rate of antidepressants being prescribed to young people has been deemed a cause for concern. In 2005, in response to public concern, prescription guidelines were introduced. They included step-by-step instructions for medical professionals who treat patients under 18 years of age; providing, for the first time, standard treatment protocols. In turn, the number of antidepressants being prescribed across the UK declined for a period. But, now, some thirteen years later, the numbers have surpassed pre-NICE guidelines levels - and show no signs of slowing. And there's evidence that the guidelines themselves are being ignored in some cases. Paul Connolley investigates the causes and risks of an increasing reliance on medication. Reporter: Paul Connolley Producer: Carl Johnston Editor: Gail Champion. Why are more children than ever being prescribed antidepressants and what are the risks? | |
Covid 19: Doctors And Deniers | 20210202 | 20210207 (R4) | When Prime Minister Boris Johnson said three households would be allowed to mix for 5 days over Christmas, experts and NHS bosses warned the health service would be overwhelmed by cases of Covid 19. Editors of the Health Service Journal and the British medical Journal BMJ said they believed the relaxation of the rules would cost many lives. Three days before Christmas the government was forced to scrap the plans for London and much of South East England when scientists revealed a new coronavirus variant was spreading more rapidly. In other regions the 5 day plan was reduced to Christmas Day - but only for those in the same bubble. In this episode of File on 4, frontline medics chart the rapid rise in Covid cases and deaths post-Christmas, via personal audio diaries which reveal their innermost thoughts, concerns and experiences as they battle the pandemic. The NHS has never been in a more precarious position, with 75 per cent more patients than there were at the April 2020 peak. Stories from the frontline in the fight against Covid-19. |
Covid 19: The Long Road To Recovery | 20200908 | 20200913 (R4) | After Coronavirus, the survivors left with life-changing and long term conditions. The physical and psychological aftermath of Covid 19 and the pressure on rehabilitation services. Nearly 3 million people in the UK have had symptomatic coronavirus. More than one hundred thousand so severely, they needed hospital treatment. This is a new disease, so doctors are guessing when it comes to the symptoms people will have long term. But it's clear this virus has a sting in its tail. The sickest patients have damage to their lungs and kidney which could be permanent. Some research shows the risk of heart attack or stroke is high. File on 4 talks to people living with the after effects of Covid 19 who say surviving was just the beginning. There are a multiotide of physical after effects - and many more have suffered post-traumatic stress disorder. People describe flashbacks to the ITU, seeing people die, overhearing their last goodbyes with loved ones on phone or the internet. Patients who were hospitalised get follow-ups, and referrals for rehabilitation and possibly, counselling. But what of the hundreds of thousands of other people who fell ill and who, if it weren't a pandemic, might have gone to hospital, but were told to stay at home? Researchers say there are at least 300,000 people who have had symptoms of Coronavirus for more than a month - so called Long Haul Covid. Many are young and previously fit. They say they had a mild case of the virus. But they have been floored by the symptoms that followed - breathlessness, racing heart, weakness. And they're struggling to get care and support. Reporter: Jane Deith Producer: Helen Clifton Editor: Carl Johnston After coronavirus, the survivors left with life-changing and long-term conditions. |
Covid Crime | 20200602 | 20200607 (R4) | The covid-19 pandemic continues to have a profound effect on society - including the world of serious organised crime. The closure of international borders and global lockdown has made some criminal activities impossible while at the same time creating opportunities for new ones. While law enforcement around the world grapple with this new challenge, criminals seek to profit from the pandemic. In this episode of File on 4, reporter Paul Connolly examines how the global crisis has changed organised crime - with some unexpected consequences. ~File On 4 examines how the global pandemic has shaped organised crime. |
Cps: Prosecutors On Trial | 20150915 | 20150920 (R4) | Controversial charging decisions in the cases of Lord Janner, Operation Elveden and a doctor accused of female genital mutilation have brought a hostile reaction in the media to the Director of Public Prosecutions and increasing concern about the health of her organisation - the Crown Prosecution Service. Over the past five years the CPS has seen budget cuts of over 25% resulting in job losses and internal reforms. Despite this, the organisation maintains that it continues to improve performance - measured by conviction rates in both magistrates' and Crown Courts. However, there are increasing concerns about staff morale, the quality of decision-making and the standard of advocacy in court . BBC Home Affairs Correspondent, Danny Shaw has been hearing frank testimony from both inside and outside the CPS which presents a revealing picture of the justice system in England and Wales. Presenter: Danny Shaw Producer: Ian Muir-Cochrane. Under fire over controversial decisions, is the Crown Prosecution Service up to the job? |
Crash Landing, The Demise Of Thomas Cook | 20191022 | 20191027 (R4) | To its thousands of employees left unemployed or 150,000 holiday makers stranded overseas, the collapse of Britain's oldest travel firm came as a bitter, unexpected shock. ~File On 4 takes a forensic look at the demise of the 178-year-old company, revealing how it came about, the warning signs that were ignored and why a last, desperate attempt at a bail-out came too late. Speaking to Thomas Cook insiders, the programme uncovers how senior executives made millions while loading the company with debt, and were unable or unwilling to change course. It also follows the progress of some of those pilots, cabin crew and shop staff who lost their jobs as they pick up the pieces and try to find their way back into the workplace. Reporter: Howard Mustoe Producers: Dan Box, Alys Harte and Luke Denne Editor: Carl Johnston Photo credit; Hassenstein, Alexander\Getty Images ~File On 4 charts the rise and fall of travel firm Thomas Cook. |
Credit Rating Agencies | 20120228 | 20120304 (R4) | Their judgments send markets into freefall. It is alleged that their mistakes led to the Enron collapse and the 2008 financial crisis. They are the credit rating agencies. Who exactly are they and what exactly do they do? Is this exploration of the complex world of the 'Big Three' rating agencies, BBC Chief Economics Correspondent Hugh Pym takes listeners behind the scenes of the world economy. Through revealing interviews with insiders and former analysts at Standard and Poor's (S&P), Moody's and Fitch, along with leading investors and bankers, Hugh tells the story of the world's ongoing financial woes from a new perspective and ask if anything has really changed. S&P managing director John Chambers explains why governments listen to what his company says. In Italy the agencies - rarely heard about until recently - have suddenly been subject to police raids and front page headlines. Italy, like many European nations, is unhappy about its recent downgrade and campaigner Elio Lannutti is on a mission to break the power of the rating agencies. But is there any truth in the idea that they're acting politically in their judgements on the Eurozone? Real concern about the 'Big Three' began following the collapse, in 2001-2003, of several major multinationals, including Parmalat, dubbed Europe's Enron. Ordinary people who lost money know only too well what it means when the rating agencies get it wrong. When mortgage-backed securities began going bad in 2007, alarm bells rang again. Why had financial products riddled with bad debt been given Triple A ratings? So is there any way of breaking the 'Big Three's' grip on power - or are they an inevitable fact of life in a global financial landscape? Producer: Lucy Proctor. Do credit rating agencies threaten our financial stability? Hugh Pym investigates. |
Criminal Records? | 20180529 | 20180603 (R4) | Knife crime in England and Wales rose by a fifth last year, with stabbings in London at their highest level for a decade. So far this year, there have been more than 30 fatal stabbings in the capital - with knife injuries amongst young people also on the rise. What lies behind the rise in violence is complex with cuts in police numbers, use of stop and search, rise in mental health issues and a lack of youth services being cited as contributing factors. But Britain's most senior police officer, Cressida Dick, also says that social media is also partly to blame, with sites like You Tube, Snapchat and Instagram 'allowing young people to go from 'slightly angry with each other' to 'fight' very quickly Relatives of victims - and judges in murder trials - also claim a form of hip hop, where rappers make threats to other gangs - and keep scores of killings - is helping fuel the bloodshed. It's called Drill. When announcing a new strategy to tackle serious violence, the former Home Secretary Amber Rudd asked musicians to have a 'positive influence' on young people, and to move away from lyrics which glamorise violence. File on Four investigates this world of violence playing out online - and on our streets. Reporter: Paul Connolly Producers: Emma Forde and Mick Tucker Development Producer: Oliver Newlan Editor: Gail Champion. What part is social media playing in the rise in violent crime in the UK? |
Criminal Waste | 20181023 | 20181028 (R4) | It's been called `the new narcotics`, a crime that promises high-rewards with little fear of being detected, and it is attracting criminal gangs usually associated with drugs and violence. `Waste crime`; the illegal disposal of the UK's mountains of often hazardous rubbish, and those involved are finding new and inventive ways of cashing in. ~File On 4 investigates how gangs hide hundreds of tonnes of waste in fields and makeshift tips around the country, and goes out with enforcement officers as they raid factories and depots around the country. The crime costs the UK an estimated 600 million pounds a year, as it's escalated from opportunist fly-tipping to a dangerous and competitive criminal industry. One farmer tells the programme how he was confronted by hooded men when he went to investigate suspicious activity on his land. The gang dumped 100 tonnes of waste before switching their lorry number plates and driving off. Three days later, a nearby farm was also hit, with another 100 tonnes, and again the gang escaped. Others use their own premises to hide hazardous waste. They set up a legitimate operation, with licenses to process harmless rubbish. But that's just a front, a technique to trick to investigators from the Environment Agency. Behind the legal piles of rubbish are hundreds of tonnes of hazardous material. The authorities are trying to fight back. But do they have the resources they need? Reporter: Paul Kenyon Producer: Sally Chesworth Editor: Gail Champion The millions to be made from serious waste crime - the 'new narcotics' for organised gangs |
Crisis In Public Sector Pensions | 20100608 | 20100613 (R4) | As MPs and senior officials retire on 'gold-plated' pensions, the media report that public sector pension schemes are heading for crisis because of multi-billion pound funding deficits. Local Councils alone are said to face a black hole of £53bn, which critics claim can only be filled by drastic cuts in entitlements and increased contributions from staff. Both Conservatives and Liberal Democrats are committed to reform of the system. Unions are planning a campaign to preserve their members' rights and have already secured a significant court victory blocking cuts to redundancy payments. Gerry Northam looks behind the headlines and asks if there really is a looming pensions crisis. Producer: Samantha Fenwick. Is there really a crisis over public sector pensions? Gerry Northam investigates. |
Critical Condition: Allegations Of Failings At Great Ormond Street | 20200317 | 20200322 (R4) | Great Ormond Street Hospital in London has a global reputation for providing outstanding care to children with the most complex medical conditions who need expert help. The hospital, known as GOSH, boasts more specialist services for children under one roof than any other and employs some of the country's leading doctors to staff them. The vast majority of the 43,000 children who stay at GOSH every year receive care which befits its reputation. But when things go wrong, is the hospital being transparent about its failings and does it do everything it can to prevent mistakes being repeated? When serious mistakes happen hospitals are duty-bound to launch serious incident investigations to understand what exactly happened and report them to external bodies. But File on 4 investigates claims that in some cases the hospital has failed to declare serious incidents despite evidence of harm. Reporter Michael Buchanan began investigating how the hospital deals with errors after attending the inquest of 14-year-old Amy Allan, from North Ayrshire, who died following elective back surgery. Michael returns to Scotland six months later to investigate how the hospital responded to Amy's death and meets other families who say they cannot get the answers they're seeking. Producer: Ben Robinson Reporter: Michael Buchanan Editor: Carl Johnston Are allegations of failings at Great Ormond Street properly investigated? |
Crossing The Line, Britain's Teenage Drug Mules | 20171024 | 20171029 (R4) | Drug dealers from big cities are exploiting thousands of teenagers to traffic Class A drugs to smaller rural towns in what's known as County Lines. Children - some as young as 9 -are being used as runners to move drugs and cash from cities like London and Manchester hundreds of miles away to other areas of the UK. It's a massive problem which until recently was being ignored. ~File On 4 hears from some of the exploited young people who spent their teens travelling around the UK for months at a time living in drugs dens selling heroin and crack cocaine. They do this by taking over the homes of vulnerable people - drug users or the elderly - to sell drugs from and then refuse to leave -a practice called 'cuckooing' which can have tragic consequences. These trafficked children often find themselves trapped by the gangs unable to escape because of the threat of violence or in order to pay back debts. Are the authorities are doing enough to protect children from being exploited in this way? Or are they being let down by being viewed as criminals themselves rather than the victims of organised crime? Reporter: Simon Cox Producer: Emma Forde Editor: Gail Champion. The urban gangs using children to flood rural Britain with drugs and violence. |
Cut-price Care | 20140204 | 20140209 (R4) | Ministers have promised a new focus on home care for the elderly and disabled amid concern that 15-minute calls and a low-paid, underskilled workforce are leaving vulnerable people at risk. From this Spring, inspectors will ask how councils' commissioning practices are affecting the daily lives of those they care for. But with authorities under pressure simultaneously to cut costs, will quality continue to suffer? Fears have been mounting about whether the basic needs of vulnerable people are being met. The government's human rights watchdog has been pressing the issue, along with tax officials who say many companies are breaching minimum wage legislation. This week File on 4 reports on the results of its own survey of local authorities in England. Have councils increased spending to keep pace with inflation in the past few years, or have they actually driven down costs? And are they providing even the most basic level of resources that social service chiefs say are needed to keep those in their care safe and well? Reporter: Fran Abrams Producer: Emma Forde. Are the old and vulnerable paying the price of cuts in home care? |
Cyber Spies | 20110920 | 20110925 (R4) | The criminal exploitation of the internet poses one of the biggest threats to UK national security. As organised crime gangs and terrorists use it to communicate and plan their activities, the police and security agencies are turning to hacking to conduct surveillance and gather intelligence. In the first of a new series, File on 4 looks at the covert techniques being used to get beyond the firewall of a suspect's PC. But are the tactics legal? One leading expert says the rules governing interception are inconsistent and on occasions, misinterpreted by the police. Reporter Stephen Grey also examines the way British companies are helping to proliferate this hi-tech snooping to countries with questionable human rights and which use it to monitor political opponents and dissidents. And, with the Ministry of Defence developing its defences against sophisticated international attacks how vulnerable is the UK to 'cyber warfare'. Why did a Chinese state telecommunications company briefly 'hijack' most of the world's internet traffic one day last year? Producer: David Lewis Reporter: Stephen Grey. Cyber Spies: computer hacking and the state. |
Danger At Work | 20110308 | 20110313 (R4) | Following the recent first conviction and hefty fine under new Corporate Manslaughter legislation, the UK's health and safety regime has been hailed a success. Falling death and accident rates appear to confirm an improving trend. But the families of some of those seriously injured and killed in workplace accidents say too many employers are still gettings off too lightly even when they've been found responsible for serious breaches of health and safety legislation. As the government proposes lighter regulation of workplaces and the Health and Safety Executive faces deep cuts, Morland Sanders asks whether protection for employees will be put at risk. After the first UK corporate manslaughter conviction, File on 4 examines safety at work. |
Dangerous Hospitals? | 20130319 | 20130324 (R4) | In the wake of the Mid-Staffordshire hospital scandal, investigations are going on at 14 other hospitals in England identified as having above average death rates among their patients. But why has it taken so long for enquiries to begin? Should the Department of Health and the hospitals regulator, the Care Quality Commission, have sounded the alarm much earlier? It took a lengthy public inquiry to get to the bottom of failings in Mid-Staffordshire. Complaints of dangerous clinical practice and shoddy nursing standards were overlooked while whistle-blowers were treated as mere troublemakers and threatened with reprisals if they went public with their concerns. Evidence is now emerging of a similar pattern in other places. Gerry Northam examines the list of hospitals now under investigation and hears from doctors, nurses, patients and bereaved relatives. Have NHS managers done enough to address concern about high death rates? How could it happen that the hospital reported to have the highest rate of excess mortality in the country - 20% above the expected level for its population of patients - was given a full seal of approval only three months earlier by the official regulator? Producer: Rob Cave Reporter: Gerry Northam. Can we rely on the NHS to uncover hospital scandals? Presented by Gerry Northam. |
Deadly Delays: The Ambulance Crisis | 20220125 | 20220130 (R4) | Record ambulance delays are leaving patients waiting hours for emergency care to arrive with waiting times increasing every month. Some patients wait hours at home, many wait outside the hospitals for a bed to become available, but for a small number, ambulances are arriving too late and patients are dying while waiting for help to arrive. In this episode of File on 4 we hear how the crisis is impacting both patients and ambulance staff. In a series of six devastating 999 calls over one hour we hear how ambulance delays in Manchester changed the lives of one family forever, while paramedics and 999 call handlers chart the huge strain on the ambulance service through Christmas and New Year via personal audio diaries which reveal their innermost thoughts, concerns and experiences as they battle through the crisis. Reporter: Jane Deith Producer: Annabel Deas Researcher: Scott Hesketh Editor: Carl Johnston Lives are being lost because ambulances are taking so long to reach the critically ill |
Deadly Drugs | 20131029 | 20131103 (R4) | What's behind the recent death of a clubgoer in Manchester who's believed to have taken a bad dose of the drug ecstasy? He's one of 12 in the area in the last year who've died after using illegal stimulants with toxic new additives, prompting the Government's Chief Medical Officer to issue a formal alert. Police are concerned organised crime is hiring backstreet chemists to cook up their own toxic amphetamines. Allan Urry investigates. Producer: Carl Johnston. What's behind the rise in deaths among those who have taken the drug ecstasy? |
Deadly Hospitals? | 20140225 | 20140302 (R4) | Each year the number of deaths in every hospital in England is recorded and compared with national averages for the range of patients and conditions treated. The results are published by a company called Dr Foster in The Hospital Guide. The Guide has a solid reputation. Its findings are studied and used by leaders of the NHS. Dr Foster's statistical expert says that high mortality statistics should act as a 'smoke alarm' raising investigation of standards at a hospital. The Care Quality Commission praises Dr Foster's 'powerful analysis of hospital trusts' and the Health Secretary says: 'We expect all hospitals to examine this data carefully and take action wherever services need to improve'. But some leading statisticians question the reliability of mortality statistics as an indication of clinical quality. And they believe that many pockets of poor practice go undetected in hospitals with good mortality scores. Critics also see the publication of such data as an invitation to the press to distort the available evidence by calculating numbers of 'needless deaths' within the NHS. Such calculations have in fact been produced and then given widespread publicity. The NHS Medical Director calls them 'clinically meaningless and academically reckless'. But they continue to make the front pages. Gerry Northam reports from hospitals which have 'worryingly high' mortality statistics according to Dr Foster and asks how much this really shows about their quality of care. Producer : Ian Muir-Cochrane Editor : David Ross. Does the NHS rely on the wrong statistics to judge hospitals? Gerry Northam reports. |
Debt Killed My Dad | 20180925 | In August, Jessica Hurst wrote to the media asking them to investigate how her dad's debts of just under £12,000 became a bill of just under £73,000. Nigel Hurst killed himself a year ago after learning that bailiffs were to repossess his family home. It was the bailiff who found him. Student, Jessica, was left with a pile of debt recovery letters and bank statements which she hoped would hold the clue to his financial troubles. File on 4 reporter Helen Grady takes up Jessica's challenge. Her findings include the fact that councils are increasingly enforcing council tax debts, often using aggressive tactics which have been outlawed or become outdated in the private sector. And that bankruptcy can trigger a series of punitive charges - including some paid directly to the Government - which can make a manageable debt unmanageable. The charities interviewed for this programme that provide free debt advice are | |
Default, By Design? | 20140121 | 20140126 (R4) | Last month a report by a government advisor, Lawrence Tomlinson, accused The Royal Bank of Scotland of forcing some viable businesses into insolvency. The Bank has denied Tomlinson's claims and has asked a leading law firm to carry out an independent investigation. With their findings due to be published shortly, File on 4 assesses the evidence. Jane Deith speaks to families who claim their companies were unfairly forced to the wall and their lives ruined as a result of the actions of the Bank's Global Restructuring Group. Billed as the equivalent of an intensive care unit designed to help nurse distressed businesses back to health, did the Global Restructuring Group kill some of them off instead? And was RBS able to profit as a result? With a rising tide of complaints against the taxpayer-owned bank, the Financial Conduct Authority is beginning its own investigation. So, was RBS being predatory or prudent? Reporter: Jane Deith Producer: Nicola Dowling. Predatory or prudent? Has RBS been playing fair with its business customers? |
Degraded, By Deepfakes | 20240402 | 20240918 (R4) 20240917 (R4) | Jodie had everything - a good job, great friends and a busy social life. But her world was turned upside down when she was targeted by an online abuser who posted pornographic deepfakes of her online. Initially turned away by the police, she turned detective herself - but nothing could prepare her for what she eventually discovers. She now struggles to trust anyone. And what happened to Jodie could happen to any of us. Here she tells her story for the very first time. Reporter: Kate West Producer: Rhoda Buchanan Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards Digital Producer: Melanie Stewart-Smith Production Co-ordinator: Tim Fernley Editor: Carl Johnston If you've been a victim of harassment, stalking or revenge porn, details of organisations offering information and support are available at BBC.co.uk/actionline. How a young woman was targeted by an online abuser who created pornographic deepfakes. Award-winning current affairs documentary series Kate West tells the story of Jodie - a young woman who was targeted by an online abuser who created pornographic deepfakes. " Jodie had everything - a good job, great friends and a busy social life. But her world was turned upside down when she was targeted by an online abuser who posted pornographic deepfakes of her online. Initially turned away by the police, she turned detective herself - but nothing could prepare her for what she eventually discovers. She now struggles to trust anyone. And what happened to Jodie could happen to any of us. Here she tells her story for the very first time. Reporter: Kate West Producer: Rhoda Buchanan Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards Digital Producer: Melanie Stewart-Smith Production Co-ordinator: Tim Fernley Editor: Carl Johnston If you've been a victim of harassment, stalking or revenge porn, details of organisations offering information and support are available at BBC.co.uk/actionline. How a young woman was targeted by an online abuser who created pornographic deepfakes. Award-winning current affairs documentary series Kate West tells the story of Jodie - a young woman who was targeted by an online abuser who created pornographic deepfakes. " |
Degraded, By Deepfakes | 20240402 | 20240403 (R4) | Jodie had everything - a good job, great friends and a busy social life. But her world was turned upside down when she was targeted by an online abuser who posted pornographic deepfakes of her online. Initially turned away by the police, she turned detective herself - but nothing could prepare her for what she eventually discovers. She now struggles to trust anyone. And what happened to Jodie could happen to any of us. Here she tells her story for the very first time. Reporter: Kate West Producer: Rhoda Buchanan Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards Digital Producer: Melanie Stewart-Smith Production Co-ordinator: Tim Fernley Editor: Carl Johnston If you've been a victim of harassment, stalking or revenge porn, details of organisations offering information and support are available at BBC.co.uk/actionline. How a young woman was targeted by an online abuser who created pornographic deepfakes. Kate West tells the story of Jodie - a young woman who was targeted by an online abuser who created pornographic deepfakes. Current affairs documentary series investigating major issues at home and abroad. |
Degrees Of Deception | 20180116 | 20180121 (R4) | ~File On 4 exposes a multi-million pound global trade in fake diplomas. A complex network of online universities sells degrees, doctorates and professional qualifications - for a price. Some of the buyers have gone on to trade on these credentials, including them on their CVs and gaining jobs in public life. Others, after making an initial purchase, were blackmailed by the sellers, who threatened to expose them unless they paid out huge additional sums of money. Despite criminal investigations in numerous countries, why is there still a thriving trade in dubious qualifications and are institutions and companies taking the issue seriously enough? Reporter: Simon Cox Producers: Matthew Chapman and Helen Clifton Editor: Gail Champion. How thousands of people in the UK have obtained fake and worthless degrees. |
Dementia: The Final Indignity | 20220621 | 20220626 (R4) | Around 800,000 people have dementia in the UK. For those suffering from the illness, incontinence can often be seen an inevitable consequence - but that's not always the case. Deemed as too embarrassing or taboo, it's a topic that rarely hits the spotlight. Experts say preserving someone's ability to go to the toilet is crucial to maintaining their dignity and quality of life and should be a priority in care settings. But is that always happening? A new report shown exclusively to File on 4 has looked at how continence care is being managed in hospitals - and how, in some cases, those who are continent are actively encouraged to soil themselves. Datshiane Navanayagam speaks to families who say their loved ones were ignored when it came to their continence needs in hospital and that the consequences have left them with health issues and requiring additional support. Nurses and medical staff say that continence training is often seen as a Cinderella subject'. We also hear from dementia patients themselves about why maintaining your own dignity and independence is so crucial with this disease. With the government set to reveal a new dementia strategy this year, will continence care be placed higher up the agenda? Reporter: Datshiane Navanayagam Producers: Emma Forde, Annabel Deas and Scott Hesketh Production Manager: Sarah Payton Journalism Assistant: Tim Fernley Editor: Carl Johnston Are dementia patients being failed when it comes to their continence care? |
Dementia: What Do We Know? | 20160223 | 20160228 (R4) | It's estimated there are around 620,000 people in England with dementia. Prime minister David Cameron says fighting the disease is a personal priority and doctors in England have been encouraged to proactively identify people with early stage dementia. The PM says that an early diagnosis allows families to prepare for the care of a relative, but others argue there's no treatment for such a diagnosis and no robust evidence to justify a process that might lead to harm. Deborah Cohen hears from doctors who are concerned the drive to raise diagnosis rates is leading to people being misdiagnosed. The Government has also pledged millions of pounds to help make England 'the best place in the world to undertake research into dementia and other neuro-degenerative diseases'. Scientists leading the research say they are making progress to find tests which could identify people at risk from the disease and develop a cure. But other researchers say money is being wasted because current directions in drug development are following the same path as those of the past which have ended in failure. Producer: Paul Grant. Has a drive to increase the diagnosis of dementia and find a cure been effective? |
Detained And Restrained: Britain's Vulnerable Kids | 20240522 | 20240528 (R4) | The most senior family court judge in England has described the growing use of Deprivation of Liberty orders for vulnerable children as a 'crisis.' File on 4 hears from young people who were held under the order supposedly for their own safety. But they say they were under constant supervision, denied access to their phones and the internet and kept away from their families. Some say they were subjected to physical restraints and even supervised when they were having a shower. And one teenager who was on a Deprivation of Liberty order tells the programme he preferred being in prison. Reporter: Ashley John-Baptiste Producer: Phil Marzouk Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Production coordinator: Ellie Dover Editor: Carl Johnston Record numbers of children are being held under restrictive deprivation of liberty orders. The most senior family court judge has described the growing use of a court order that detains vulnerable children and restricts their freedom as his single most worrying issue. |
Diabetes | 20120221 | 20120226 (R4) | New NHS research has revealed the shocking toll of preventable deaths caused by just one medical condition. Diabetes - in which the body fails to control blood sugar levels safely - is causing 24,000 needless deaths a year in England alone. It's not just the old and middle-aged who are at risk. Young women with diabetes are 6 to 9 times more likely to die than their age group overall. And many more young people who don't die will develop life threatening diseases later due to failure to manage their blood sugar. Badly controlled diabetes can lead to kidney disease, heart conditions, or blindness. It's also the cause of 5,000 amputations a year, mainly of legs or feet. With around 3 million diagnosed sufferers known to the health service, diabetes is said to be costing the NHS £9 billion a year, about a tenth of the total health budget. Julian O'Halloran reveals why, despite Government pledges, it's so difficult to get to grips with the disease. And, with the incidence of diabetes rocketing, he asks whether the NHS can cope. Producer - Gail Champion. Despite pledges to tackle diabetes, why do 24,000 people die needlessly each year? |
Dirty Money Uk | 20151006 | 20151011 (R4) | What does the theft of a billion dollars from Europe's poorest country have to do with a run-down housing estate in Edinburgh? Moldova was robbed of 12% of its GDP by the bafflingly complex financial scam uncovered earlier this year. It involved a web of companies in the ex-Soviet country, with the money thought to have ended up in Russia via Latvian banks. But the trail also goes via a number of UK-registered companies, including one based in the district of north Edinburgh made famous by 'Trainspotting', the novel about heroin addicts. It's not the only example of Eastern European fraudsters using the UK to launder their dirty money in this way. So why is it allowed to happen? Why is it so easy to set up an opaque shell company in the UK? And what is the role of so-called company formation agents? Tim Whewell investigates Reporter: Tim Whewell Producer: Simon Maybin. The role of British companies in a billion-dollar Moldovan bank scam. |
Dirty Oil? | 20160510 | 20160515 (R4) | The Serious Fraud Office has begun an investigation into allegations of corruption in the award of multi-million pound oil contracts in the Middle East. A Monaco based company, Unaoil, denies that it helped British and other companies win contracts by corrupting politicians and government officials. The investigation follows a leak of thousands of emails and other documents. Jane Deith has been given access to the leaked papers and reveals what they tell us about the business of oil. Reporter: Jane Deith Producer: Paul Grant. Did UK firms win multi-million pound oil contracts through bribes to corrupt officials? |
Dirty Secrets | 20141111 | 20141116 (R4) | The UK generates nearly 300 million tonnes of waste every year. That's rich pickings for criminals who illegally dump what we don't want, damaging the environment and threatening our health. The black market in rubbish is said to be worth a billion pounds. With such huge sums at stake there's concern that organised crime is increasing its grip on the sector. Allan Urry examines the efforts of Britain's Environment Agencies to try to hold the line. But it's tough going at a time when cuts have led to a reduction in staffing. Reporter: Allan Urry Producer: Carl Johnston. What is being done to tackle the UK's \u00a31 billion black market in illegal waste dumping? |
Disability And The Adult Industry | 20231107 | 20231112 (R4) | As a young person, Ellen Macleod wasn't sure whether her disabilities would mean she could never have sex so she turned to the internet. There she found porn featuring disabled adults, but those films threw up dark questions around consent, exploitation and whether disabled people were being made the involuntary subject of a fetish. Now Ellen has teamed up with journalist Nastaran Tavakoli Far to investigate whether what she saw online was extreme role play or very real abuse. Ellen and Nas speak to disabled adult content creators, as well as safeguarding and legal experts to explore how society protects vulnerable adults, and what many of us get wrong about sex and disability. If you have been affected by sexual abuse or violence, details of help and support is available at BBC.co.uk/actionline Presenters: Ellen Macleod and Nastaran Tavakoli-Far Producer: Ailsa Rochester Sound Design: Rob Green Executive Producer: Jo Meek An Audio Always production for BBC Radio 4 Is porn featuring disabled adults exploitative or empowering? Ellen Macleod and Nastaran Tavakoli-Far investigate whether disabled adults in porn are victims or advocates. Taking a look at consent, safeguarding, sex and disability. |
Disclosing The Truth | 20180227 | 20180304 (R4) | The Police and the Crown Prosecution Service have been accused of failing to disclose important information in several recent high profile sexual assault cases. But Allan Urry asks if the current disquiet about disclosure should also extend to the Magistrates' Courts where almost all criminal cases start off. Some defence lawyers say evidence that could be helpful to their clients' cases is being with-held and are they're concerned that justice isn't always being served. Reporter: Allan Urry Producer: Alys Harte Editor: Gail Champion. How are disclosure of evidence failures affecting justice in the magistrates' courts? |
Doctor Of Deception | 20240102 | 20240107 (R4) | For more than twenty years, Zholia Alemi worked as a psychiatrist for the NHS. She practiced the length and breadth of the country, treating vulnerable patients with dementia, learning disabilities and mental illness. And then she was caught in a lie. Alemi was found guilty of forging a dementia patient's will. But this deception was only the beginning. From Crowd Network, Doctor of Deception investigates how one woman's web of lies reveals historic flaws in the system designed to keep patients safe. If you were treated by Zholia Alemi, or have concerns about her practice, there is a support page available on the General Medical Council's website: https://www.gmc-uk.org/news/news-archive/zholia-alemi---information-for-patients Presenter: Saleyha Ahsan Producer: Louisa Adams Technical Producer: Phill Brown Executive Producer: Samantha Psyk The story of a doctor who couldn't be trusted and the patients who faced the consequences Zholia Alemi was a psychiatrist with a secret. File on 4 investigates the doctor whose lies pose questions about the ways medics are regulated. ~File On 4 tells the story behind the killing of schoolgirl Brianna Ghey. |
Doctors In Charge | 20110301 | 20110306 (R4) | Success of the Government's proposed NHS reforms in England rests on family doctors. GPs will be responsible for commissioning treatment for their patients, and managing the £80 billion NHS budget. But how much do we know about the effectiveness and value for money offered by doctors in General Practice? Gerry Northam reports. Family doctors are key to the Government health reforms, but how efficient are our GPs? |
Domestic Servitude | 20100622 | 20100627 (R4) | Described as the modern-day face of slavery, scores of foreign workers are being brought into the UK to work in domestic servitude. They work long hours - often under physical duress and for low or non-existent pay. File on 4 investigates whether the authorities are doing enough to protect these workers - and to prosecute the people who've exploited them. Reporter: Jenny Cuffe Producer: Nicola Dowling. Investigating the plight of foreign workers in the UK working in domestic servitude. |
Drink Spiking | 20220208 | 20220213 (R4) | After an alarming rise in complaints of drink spiking last year, and reports of people being injected with syringes, Datshiane Navanayagam speaks to women who say they have been `spiked` and finds out what the police are doing to tackle it. Reporter: Datshiane Navanayagam Producer: Nicola Dowling Editor: Nicola Addyman Drink spiking - are some criminals getting away with it? |
Drug Danger Distraction? | 20100126 | 20100131 (R4) | A British drug company is being sued by more than 15,000 people in the United States who claim its bestselling antipsychotic drug caused severe weight gain, diabetes and other serious medical conditions. Ann Alexander investigates concerns about the way it was marketed and asks how much the public should be told about the drugs they take. Investigating concerns about the way a bestselling antipsychotic drug was marketed. |
Drug Shortages | 20191119 | 20191124 (R4) | Medical professionals say shortages of commonly prescribed drugs are currently worse than ever before - impacting on patient care and potentially costing lives. The government has banned the export of some medications from the UK in an attempt to protect dwindling supplies but desperate patients are still travelling abroad to get the medication they need or, rationing their supply or going without treatments entirely. ~File On 4 examines the complex supply network behind the medication we're prescribed and finds out how a single broken link in the fragile chain can impact patients, doctors and pharmacists alike. Speaking to worried insiders, exasperated clinicians and patients left too frightened to leave the house, the programme uncovers a long-running crisis at the very centre of our health care system. Reporter: Adrian Goldberg Producer: Steven Hobson Editor: Carl Johnston Image credit: Hiraman\Getty Medics say drug shortages are worse than ever - putting the lives of patients at risk. |
Dying On The Streets | 20180213 | 20180218 (R4) | The homeless being denied end of life care. ~File On 4 hears the stories of the terminally ill left to die in hostels and on the street. An estimated 4751 people will sleep rough tonight in England. Many are seriously, even terminally ill. If you're living on the streets, who will care for you when the end comes? ~File On 4 hears from homeless people living with life threatening illness, who can't find a regular bed for the night, let alone a place where their medical needs can be met. A bed in a nursing home or hospice is usually not available to them. Hostels are left to do their best for the dying. But they say they aren't trained or equipped to give people a dignified death. We speak to those battling to get homeless people basic medical care. And hear how when services fail, people are left to die on the street. Reporter: Jane Deith Producer: Emma Forde Editor: Gail Champion. Why does life on the street also mean death on the street for some rough sleepers? |
Ebola | 20141021 | 20141026 (R4) | Ebola is now regarded as an international threat to peace and security, according to the World Health Organisation. Yet, when the WHO was first warned of an unprecedented outbreak, the organisation said it was 'still relatively small. Now the UK has asked for volunteers to travel to West Africa to try to bring Ebola under control. Thousands of American troops are also flying out to the region. But could all this have been avoided? Simon Cox asks why it took so long for the world to wake up to the threat posed by Ebola? He also investigates the treatments that are now, belatedly, being developed - treatments that have existed for decades. Vaccines and other drugs are being rushed into production at an unprecedented pace, by-passing the usual safety controls. However, all predictions are that many more people will die before the disease is brought under control. Even then, will it become endemic? Reporter: Simon Cox Producer: John Murphy. Simon Cox investigates why it took so long for the world to wake up to the threat of ebola |
Egypt And The Gaza Crisis | 20090210 | 20090215 (R4) | The role played by Egypt and its President Hosni Mubarak in the Gaza crisis. |
Egypt's Missing Millions | 20110315 | 20110320 (R4) | ~File On 4. Banks and fraud squads across the world are beginning the task of tracing a vast fortune stolen from the Egyptian people by members of the Mubarak regime. Some estimates have suggested the missing money could run into many billions of pounds. Ministers, businessmen and members of the president's family have deposited vast sums in Swiss bank accounts and bought luxury properties in London. Where did all this wealth come from? How was the Egyptian government able to continue abusing its power for three decades? And could the regime's business partners in multinational corporations really have been blind to what was happening? Fran Abrams travels to Egypt to investigate and to assess the chances of the money being recovered. Producer: Ian Muir-Cochrane. Fran Abrams investigates the corruption that lay behind the Mubarak regime. |
Elderly Care | 20110628 | 20110703 (R4) | Over the last month Britain's biggest provider of care homes for the elderly, Southern Cross, has been beset by financial woes. But across the country an even deeper crisis is unfolding as local authorities implement massive budget cuts. This week File on 4 investigates how cutbacks are leaving elderly people with insufficient care, and councils with a major financial headache. The programme also hears from small care home providers who say they are being forced out of business because the fees local authorities now pay them are too low. And with the report from a Government commission due in a few days, the programme asks whether the gap in funding for the care of elderly people can be closed.. Reporter: Fran Abrams Producer: Gail Champion. Why the UK's elderly care sector is facing a financial crisis. |
Elderly Care: Neglected Questions | 20130604 | 20130609 (R4) | Operation Jasmine was the UK's biggest ever care home abuse investigation. But in January this year proceedings against two key figures in the case collapsed, leaving dozens of families asking if they will ever get justice. While relatives demand a public inquiry into what happened in the six Welsh care homes at the centre of the case, 12.5 metric tonnes of unpublished evidence lie in a Pontypool warehouse. Experts say prosecutors too often face insurmountable difficulties in bringing people accused of neglecting the vulnerable to justice. Several high-profile figures are now calling for a change in the law: one barrister and academic tells File on 4 current legislation gives greater protection against cruelty to animals than against people. With other major scandals such as those at Winterbourne View and Mid-Staffordshire still fresh in the public mind, Fran Abrams asks if the justice system is fit for purpose when it comes to dealing with abuse and neglect. Producer: Nicola Dowling. Are there lessons in the collapse of the UK's biggest elderly care home abuse inquiry? |
Elderly Patients In Hospital, Who Cares? | 20171010 | 20171015 (R4) | How well do NHS hospitals look after their elderly patients? Allan Urry investigates concerns about a lack of basic care. Is it proving fatal for some? Why are bedsores, repeated falls, malnutrition and dehydration still featuring among the complaints of families who've lost loved ones? The programme also assesses how well the NHS responds when mistakes are made. Reporter: Allan Urry Producer: Nicola Dowling. Who cares? Are elderly patients being left to suffer and die from neglect in hospital? |
Election Fraud | 20140311 | 20140316 (R4) | With local authority elections due in May, Allan Urry investigates claims of organised vote rigging. Earlier this year, the Electoral Commission identified 16 areas in England with wards that are at particular risk of electoral fraud. ~File On 4 visits some of those towns and cities and hears first hand evidence of intimidation and the widespread abuse of postal votes - including allegations that some people are being pressured into handing over their vote to party activists. A candidate who successfully took a court case against his opponent after narrowly losing an election, says some campaigners have lost sight of what is right and wrong. And a judge who sits in election fraud cases attacks the system as 'shambolic' and 'wide open to abuse'. So is our voting system too vulnerable to fraud? Are the authorities doing all they can to root out corruptions? And is it time to end postal voting on demand? Producers: Emma Forde and Sally Chesworth. Is organised voting fraud skewing the outcome of local elections in some parts of Britain? |
Electricity Prices: A Shock To The System? | 20131001 | 20131006 (R4) | The Government wants more wind power and nuclear energy to supply our electricity, but how well is it delivering that plan? In Scotland where conditions for renewable sources are good, there's been a rush to cash in on generous subsidies for wind farms. But the infrastructure can't cope so companies are also being paid handsomely to dump the energy they produce. And, deals which include subsidies are being concluded behind closed doors between Government officials and the nuclear industry for a new generation of power stations. What's this going to add to our fuel bills? Allan Urry investigates. Producer: Rob Cave. What will the government's plan to produce more low-carbon energy do to our fuel bills? |
Energy Prices | 20111004 | 20111009 (R4) | Household gas and electricity bills are set to soar, leaving millions at risk of 'fuel poverty' and vulnerable to cold as winter approaches. The government's hopes for recovery in UK manufacturing industry are also threatened in key sectors by rocketing energy prices. Some small and medium-sized businesses have already been pushed into liquidation and there are fears that others will follow. Politically, attention is now focusing on the behaviour of the so-called Big Six energy companies which supply 99% of the gas and electricity used in British homes. The regulator OFGEM accuses them of 'complex and unfair pricing policies'. It wants to increase competition by making it simpler for customers to decide to switch suppliers. It finds that prices go up like a rocket but fall like a feather. And it wants greater disclosure of corporate accounting systems, to check for excessive profits. Gerry Northam examines claims from some industry insiders that the Big Six are behaving as the banks did before the credit crunch - threatening economic recovery while believing they are too big to fail. Producer: Samantha Fenwick. Are households and businesses being overcharged for gas and electricity? |
Escaping Anna | 20230808 | 20230815 (R4) 20230820 (R4) | A group of women turned to a private specialist eating disorder clinic in Bath hoping they would receive life-changing treatment. They say their mental and physical health deteriorated while the psychologist in charge subjected them to psychological abuse. The clinic has since closed its doors, but the former patients say they have been left with life-long scars Reporter: Divya Talwar Producer: Ellie Layhe The eating disorder clinic that left its patients with physical and mental scars |
European Funding | 20120717 | 20120722 (R4) | The EU has allocated millions of pounds in grants to help our towns and cities regenerate. So why are some complaining they can't get their hands on the cash? European rules mean Britain has to put up an equal amount of money. But, as Allan Urry reveals, cuts at Westminster and in town halls around the country mean that some projects have either stalled or been abandoned because no 'matched funding' is available. Critics of the Government say up to a billion pounds of regeneration money will end up in the Treasury's coffers or being returned to Brussels. Yet, it supposed to be supporting economic development in the English regions which the Government has argued will drive growth. That's what's happened in Germany and other EU countries. Have they made better use of funds from Brussels to help narrow the gap between their rich and poor regions? Now, as Europe struggles with austerity, does the European Commission need to re-think its system for allocating cash, and should the Coalition Government in Britain do more to deliver growth? Producer: Samantha Fenwick. Why are areas of Britain losing millions of pounds of regeneration money from Europe? |
Europe's Missing Millions | 20101130 | 20101205 (R4) | Over the last seven years, the European Union has paid out billions of Euros in grants designed to revitalise Europe's poorest regions. But an investigation for File on 4 has revealed the extent to which these payments are open to widespread fraud, abuse and mismanagement. Angus Stickler tracks how money has gone astray across the 27 member states and asks why funding continues in regions with proven records of corruption and fraud. Throughout the EU there is evidence that money has been wasted or even stolen. In Southern Italy, money has gone to Mafia-controlled construction companies and bogus energy projects. Across the EU expensive projects lie unused and unfit for purpose, despite receiving funding of millions of Euros. The EU has created its own anti-fraud agency, OLAF, to stop these abuses, but are critics right when they claim it's underfunded and ineffective? ~File On 4/Bureau of Investigative Journalism co-production. Producer: Gail Champion Editor: David Ross. Angus Stickler investigates fraud involving European regional funding schemes. |
Exiles In Fear | 20110802 | 20110807 (R4) | The UK is the largest bilateral donor to Rwanda, giving around £83m a year. President Paul Kagame is praised by the British government for bringing stability and economic growth to a country torn apart by the genocide in 1994. But recently it was revealed that two opponents of the Rwandan regime living in London had been warned by police they were in danger of being assassinated by their own government. Other Rwandans living in the UK have been threatened too. The Rwandan High Commission say the allegations are baseless. Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe also receives substantial amounts of British aid but via charities and other non-governmental organisations. However, an exile who had attended opposition Movement for Democratic Change meetings in the UK has been revealed as a former torturer. Although he's rejected his past, its alleged the man was until recently on the pay-roll of Zimbabwe's notorious Central Intelligence Organisation - leaving the ex patriot Zimbabwean community scared and in disarray. Jenny Cuffe asks whether in the light of such claims the British government should question its aid policy. Why are some Rwandans in the UK living in fear of their government? Jenny Cuffe reports. |
Expecting Alone: The Isolation Of Pregnancy During Covid | 20200922 | 20200927 (R4) | Six months since Britain was instructed to stay at home', File on 4 examines the decisions that affect new mothers and their babies and asks if the potential for long term damage outweighs the risk of spreading the virus. For pregnant women, many of the hospital restrictions implemented at the height of the pandemic remain. Many women must attend antenatal scans or go through early labour on their own, while their birth partners wait outside. Others have had to receive the worst possible news about their pregnancy alone. Once the baby arrives, the landscape remains uncertain. Health visitors are seen by many as a frontline defence against child health problems; a lifeline for new mums and their babies who are trained to spot early signs of illness, harm or neglect. Yet, the decision to redeploy many health visitors to the frontline during lockdown left countless families without the support they needed - a decision seen by some as unnecessary' and dangerous', one that could lead to a second pandemic' of child protection issues. Now, professionals are reporting an explosion' in mental health problems amongst new mothers and their partners, while those suffering are struggling to get help. Reporter: Alys Harte Producer: Mick Tucker Editor: Gail Champion Has the reduction of services for new mums and their babies caused long-term damage? |
Extreme Measures: Can Extremists Be De-radicalised? | 20200310 | 20200315 (R4) | Usman Khan was released from prison in 2018 for plotting a terror attack. He'd undertaken two de-radicalisation programmes designed to turn him away from violent extremism. Yet despite efforts to rehabilitate him, Khan launched an attack near London Bridge - killing two people. It was the first of two violent attacks involving convicted extremists in a little over two months. So just how effective are schemes designed to de-radicalise offenders? For the first time, File on 4 hears from those at the heart of these programmes - the 'intervention providers' tasked with turning offenders away from violence. Some say offenders are able to cheat the system and convince the authorities they've changed their ways. So how can these intervention providers ever know when their work has been successful? The programme hears from a serving prisoner in a maximum security jail who says convicted terrorists are 'gaming' the system by pretending to comply with 'de-radicalisation' courses - and he warns that non terrorist offenders are being dangerously radicalised. Reporter: Adrian Goldberg Researcher: Luke Radcliff Producer: Helen Clifton Editor: Carl Johnston Can convicted extremists be de-radicalised? |
Extremism: Hidden In Plain Sight | 20171003 | 20171008 (R4) | Manveen Rana uncovers hate speech, sectarianism and even support for Jihad in some of Britain's Urdu language newspapers, radio stations and TV channels. While we are often told the internet and social media have accelerated the fermentation of extremist ideas, File on 4 reveals how widely-available 'old media' is also disseminating sectarian and anti-Semitic messages, as well as support for Pakistani militant groups, through newspapers and TV channels accessible in Muslim communities across the UK. A common theme is content about the Ahmadiyyah community, who are considered by some Muslims to be heretics. A persecuted community in Pakistan, such violence came to the UK in 2016 when shop keeper Asad Shah was fatally stabbed by a man accusing him of blasphemy. Despite this shocking sectarian murder, British Urdu media continues to publish insulting material targeting the Ahmadiyyah community - included campaigns calling on readers to boycott Ahmadi-made goods. But at what point do these media outlets cross the line from bad taste to criminal behaviour? And are media regulators doing enough to prevent and punish the offenders? Producers: Richard Fenton-Smith & Sajid Iqbal Editor: Gail Champion Sound Engineer: Neil Churchill. Manveen Rana uncovers hate speech and sectarianism in British Urdu media. |
Facial Recognition | 20200128 | 20200202 (R4) | ~File On 4 has been tracking the roll-out of facial recognition tech across Britain's streets, shopping centres and football grounds. The Metropolitan Police has announced it will use live facial recognition cameras operationally for the first time on London streets. The force sees the technology as a vital tool in the fight against crime. But privacy campaigners say it's a 'serious threat to civil liberties. The pace is frenetic - new computer systems can watch thousands of people at once, with the most powerful able to operate at distances of over a mile. They can do all of this in `real-time`, meaning everyone who passes by the camera can be scanned against a `watchlist` of suspects. But technology like this means more and more innocent people are affected. Yet the public are not always explicitly warned, and neither are the regulators. ~File On 4 has been given new details of a trial at Meadowhall shopping centre in South Yorkshire in which police and retailers worked together to scan millions of shoppers, looking out for three suspects and a missing person (the latter was found as a result). It was one of several trials conducted by police and private companies, which went ahead despite requests from the Surveillance Camera Commissioner for police to ask him before implementing such schemes. The legislation surrounding facial recognition is new and mostly untested, leading to calls for stricter, more specific laws to be passed. Meantime, the Surveillance Camera Commissioner has called for a regime of inspections of the technology for both public and private bodies; a call backed by the veteran Conservative MP David Davis. Facial recognition may be new, but it still begs an urgent answer to an age-old question: who watches the watchers? Reporter: Geoff White Producer: Helen Clifton Editor: Carl Johnston Facial Recognition: Who's watching you? |
Failed, By Forensics? | 20180612 | 20180617 (R4) | ~File On 4 investigates mounting concern about forensic science in England and Wales - hearing the cases of two men who almost went to prison for rape because the police failed to properly investigate crucial evidence on mobile phones. Forensic science is increasingly important both in finding criminals and successfully prosecuting them. It's used for everything from investigating fires like Grenfell to huge terrorist cases. And it covers checking phone records, CCTV, DNA and fingerprinting. It's painstaking, time-consuming work but it can often turn up vital evidence. The programme hears that a criminal investigation is underway into one company providing forensic evidence, another has gone bust and a third has had to be financially bailed out. Meanwhile some police forces carry out their own forensic work but incredibly some do so, without the official accreditation that forensic companies are expected to obtain. And the regulator says she can't do anything about it as the Government won't give her the powers she needs. Presenter: Melanie Abbott Producer: Anna Meisel Editor: Andrew Smith. Are failings in forensic science leading to more miscarriages of justice? |
Fair Game | 20160531 | 20160605 (R4) | English football clubs enjoy a high profile around the world, leading to many companies vying to do business with them. But have some football clubs entered into financial deals with companies with questionable backgrounds? ~File On 4 explores whether clubs are vulnerable to companies and individuals who use the reputation of English football to lend credibility to their activities. But what due diligence do clubs undertake when securing such deals? Allan Urry looks at the relationship between soccer and sponsorship. He hears from some of the victims who've lost money, because they believed those who do business with the biggest names in football, could be trusted. Reporter - Allan Urry Producer - Emma Forde. Should English football clubs take a closer look at who they turn to for investment? |
Fair Game? The Secrets Of Football Betting | 20200218 | 20200223 (R4) | In recent years, betting companies have invested millions in Britain's professional football leagues through sponsorship deals and blanket advertising campaigns. The ever-increasing collaboration between the two has been labelled as the Gamblification of professional football' - a term which, for many, raises serious concerns. File on 4 puts this controversial relationship under the microscope, asking if football's public endorsement of gambling companies is helping to normalise, even encourage, a pursuit which, for those most vulnerable, can lead to addiction, financial devastation and suicide in extreme cases. In addition, we investigate the failure of gambling companies to stop millions in stolen money from being wagered on the beautiful game by customers involved in criminality. Firms should carry out anti-money laundering checks when large sums of money are lodged, won or lost by customers. But File on 4 has learned that some betting companies ignore these obligations, opening the door for the proceeds of crime to be gambled - and potentially laundered. In hearing the testimony of industry whistle-blowers, and that of problem gamblers who stole hundreds of thousands to fuel their addiction, we lay bare the sometimes darker matters associated with the fusion of the football and gambling industries. Reporter: Paul Connolly Producer: Paul Grant Editor: Carl Johnston The potential harms of the ever-increasing sponsorship of football by gambling companies |
Faith, Hope And... Tax Avoidance | 20130709 | 20130714 (R4) | While the G8 summit of world leaders has agreed a global deal to ensure big business pays its dues, concerns about tax avoidance go wider. A group of MPs has just examined the case of the Cup Trust, a charity which tried to claim £46 million in tax relief but spent just £55,000 on good works. The Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, Margaret Hodge, concluded the Trust's purpose 'was to avoid tax'. And she said this wasn't an isolated case. The Committee heard that HMRC investigates around 300 charities a year over concerns about tax fraud. In this week's File on 4 Fran Abrams examines the blurred lines around charities and tax. What happens when genuine charities find 'donations' are designed so the donors can claim Gift Aid payments from the tax man? And how easy is it to register a charity whose main aim is actually tax avoidance? Is the 160 year-old Charity Commission up to the job of policing 21st Century charities? Producer: Ian Muir-Cochrane. As big business is asked to pay its dues, are some charities being used for tax avoidance. |
Falling Short, Fake News And Financial Markets | 20180626 | 20180701 (R4) | If fake news is poisoning public debate, then what is it doing to the financial markets? Short-sellers - investors who bet on a company's shares falling, not rising- have a mixed reputation. For some they play a vital role, exposing weak companies - and can make big profits as a result. But others accuse them of using fake information to deliberately damage otherwise healthy businesses. ~File On 4 looks into the hidden world of the short sellers, the researchers who give them the information to make their bets and the companies who fall victim to what they publish. Are the shorters overstepping the stock market's rules on fairness and transparency? Reporter: Geoff White Producer: Rob Cave Editor: Gail Champion. Is financial fake news damaging business? Geoff White reports. |
Families Versus The State: An Unfair Fight? | 20191001 | 20191006 (R4) | Julie Montacute-Carter (pictured left) was found drowned in a lake after suffering from depression for many years. But when it came to the inquest into her death it fell to her daughter Becky Montacute to represent the family at the start of the inquest process - and then find and fund a lawyer herself. All because the family could not get Legal Aid. The mental health trust responsible for Julie's care however was able to spend tens of thousands of pounds in legal representation. Critics call this an 'inequality of arms' and there are concerns vital lessons aren't being learned because many families can't afford to pay for legal representation to challenge state bodies like the NHS, the police and the prison service. Reporter: Hayley Hassall Producer: Mick Tucker Development Producer: Oliver Newlan Editor: Carl Johnston Are lives being put at risk because families are refused funding at inquests? |
Family Annihilation | 20120306 | 20120311 (R4) | In the last two months, three fathers have killed their partners, children and themselves. File on 4 investigates what drives these men to take such drastic action. The programme talks to relatives, expert forensic psychiatrists and academics to try to find out why they became so-called 'family annihilators'. It looks at new research into such cases which points to a link to unemployment rates and the levels of gun ownership. It will also ask whether authorities like the health service and police could do more to watch for signs that men are a risk to their families and asks whether new gun licence measures are working. Presenter: Jane Deith Producer: Paul Grant. What drives fathers to kill their families and themselves? Jane Deith investigates. |
Finding Freedom, The Fight Against Modern Slavery | 20190122 | 20190127 (R4) | Modern slavery and human trafficking in the UK are more prevalent than ever before. Police estimate tens of thousands of victims are hidden in towns and cities across the country; many kidnapped then subjected to forced labour or sexual exploitation, often under the threat of violence. But what happens to victims after they escape or have been rescued? ~File On 4 investigates the government system designed to identify and support victims of modern slavery and human trafficking. Victims say they haven't been properly looked after by the authorities, have been left in limbo - some waiting years for decisions on their status. ~File On 4 investigates allegations that a failure to adequately protect victims means some face being drawn back into exploitation by the very gangs from whom they escaped in the first place. With the Prime Minister describing modern slavery as 'the great human-rights issue of our time' is enough being done to tackle the root causes and protect those unable to protect themselves? Reporter: Paul Kenyon Producer: Alys Harte Development Producer: Oliver Newlan Editor: Gail Champion Are victims of modern slavery and trafficking being let down? File on 4 investigates. |
Firefighters On Trial | 20230221 | 20230226 (R4) | A damning report into the culture of London Fire Brigade found a toxic mix of racism, sexism, misogyny and bullying. Launched after a young firefighter of colour took his own life, the review included terrible anonymous accounts from those serving in the capital, women groped during exercises, a black man who had a noose left on his locker. Now File on 4 has discovered shocking new evidence of problems within the fire service elsewhere across the UK. We hear from those subjected to sexual assault, violence and bullying while working on the frontline, left suicidal as a result of the treatment they suffered at the hands of colleagues and those who were hounded out or chose to walk away from a career they loved. Reporter: Jane Deith Producer: Nicola Dowling Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards Editor: Carl Johnston Firefighters on trial: File on 4 investigates claims of racism, sexism and bullying. |
Fit For Football | 20200929 | 20201004 (R4) | MPs and supporters are calling for an overhaul of the way English football is governed after a series of clubs were hit by financial problems. Bolton wanderers, Wigan Athletic and Charlton have all flirted with financial disaster while Bury FC were expelled from the Football League altogether after problems with creditors. File on 4 hears claims that the root of the problem is the Owners' and Directors' Test used to assess those who want to take control of football clubs Reporter: Adrian Goldberg Producer: Kate West Editor: Carl Johnston MPs and supporters call for an overhaul of the way English football is governed |
Flooding: Best Laid Plans? | 20140211 | 20140216 (R4) | Flights grounded. Trains cancelled. Roads flooded. It's becoming a familiar story every winter as Britain's transport systems are battered by the weather. While rainfall this winter has been unusually high, has some of the disruption that we've seen been caused by a lack of strategic planning and routine maintenance? Should a flooded river have been able to knock out power supplies at Gatwick, catching airport authorities by surprise? Were the drainage systems adequate on some of the railway embankments that collapsed, leaving passengers stranded? Allan Urry investigates why our infrastructure is struggling to cope with the storms and asks whether bad planning has made a bad situation worse? Producer: Rob Cave. How well prepared is Britain's transport infrastructure to weather the winter storms? |
Food Fraud | 20140128 | 20140202 (R4) | A year after the horsemeat scandal there are calls for a new police force to fight food fraud amid concerns that organised crime is increasingly targeting the sector because there are huge profits to be made at the expense of the consumer. Prof Chris Elliott, who was commissioned by the government to investigate the UK's most serious food scandal in recent years, says criminals are committing more food fraud because there's little risk of detection or serious penalties if they're caught. Gerry Northam investigates the extent of food fraud across the UK and reports from Brussels on whether the EU has learned enough lessons from last year's scandal. Producer: Carl Johnston. After last year's horsemeat scandal, have enough lessons been learned? |
For Richer, For Poorer | 20211026 | 20211031 (R4) | With an ageing population, it's estimated that over one million people in the UK will be living with dementia by 2025. But what happens when someone with the condition is deliberately targeted and led into marriage for the financial gain of the partner? Unlike in Scotland, marriage in England and Wales revokes any previous will that may have been made. For those who target someone with dementia and secretly wed them without the knowledge of their family, matrimony can prove to be extremely lucrative. We hear from the families of those believed to have been preyed upon and registrars on the frontline, tasked with spotting a predatory marriage, despite no medical training in assessing dementia. And we speak to campaigners who say the law needs to change to better protect victims and their families. Reporter: Datshiane Navanayagam Producer: Paul Grant Editor: Gail Champion The elderly people targeted for marriage and exploited for financial gain. |
Foundation Hospitals: An Acute Crisis? | 20101019 | 20101024 (R4) | The drive to make acute hospitals more prudent and independent through foundation trust status was meant to usher in a new era of prudent spending for the whole of the NHS. But now the process is faltering, as a series of foundation trusts hit grave financial, managerial or care quality problems. And though the NHS was meant to be ring-fenced from the deep cuts now hitting the rest of the public sector, a number foundation hospital trusts are facing bed closures and serious job losses. In some cases emergency measures have been adopted to turn failing trusts around by bringing in highly paid crisis managers. But these have alienated staff and unions and seemingly pushed some hospitals further into the red. So where does this leave the Government's plans for all hospitals to be run by foundation trusts? Julian O'Halloran reports. Producer: Ian Muir-Cochrane. Why should we want more foundation hospitals when so many are in financial trouble? |
Fraud: The Thin Blue Line | 20141007 | 20141012 (R4) | The nature of crime is changing, with much of it now happening online, sparking growing concern that official figures fail to account for potentially millions of fraud offences. Experts say frauds involving plastic debit and credit cards are among the crimes left out of the data. So just how reliable - and useful - are the statistics? At the same time, police economic crime units, which investigate fraud, have become increasingly stretched, partly as a result of government budget cuts. BBC Home Affairs correspondent, Danny Shaw, asks whether law enforcement has kept pace with the changing face of fraud and if there are enough resources to tackle financial crime and bring fraudsters to justice. Reporter: Danny Shaw Producer: Ian Muir-Cochrane. Do official crime figures reflect the rise in fraud, and are police able to combat it? |
Fuelling The Future? | 20181016 | 20181021 (R4) | Five years ago the UK's biggest bioethanol plant opened in Hull as part of a £1 billion investment in renewable biofuel. Last month, the Vivergo site ceased production with the loss of more than 100 jobs. The knock-on effects have been felt by hauliers and some 900 farms across the region, which supplied the plant with wheat to be converted into fuel. The closure comes just 5 months after ministers set new, ambitious targets to double the use of sustainable fuels - like bioethanol - by 2020. The government says it's committed to green energy - its recent Clean Growth Strategy' claims plans are in place to cut greenhouse gases by more than half of 1990 levels by 2030. And yet, research shows investment in green energy fell 56% last year, the biggest drop of any country - with policy change, subsidy cuts and 'stop-start' support from ministers being blamed. So, do Britain's plans for a greener future add up? File on 4 takes to the road to find out. On a trip around the North East of England, Simon Cox asks why, when the offshore wind industry has grown, other cheap, renewable energies like onshore wind, solar power and now biofuels are struggling to survive. He examines whether changes in policy are hitting crucial investment, and if ambitious climate targets will really be met. Reporter: Simon Cox Producers: Mick Tucker and Oliver Newlan Editor: Gail Champion Photo: Thanet wind farm. Credit: Reuters. Does Britain's green energy strategy stack up? |
Funding The Frontline Police Force | 20091110 | 20091115 (R4) | Allan Urry investigates the effects of the police force's current funding problems. |
Furlough Fraud | 20211109 | 20211114 (R4) | An estimated £66 billion was spent by the government during the pandemic on paying towards the wages of people who couldn't work, or whose employers could no longer afford to pay them. That's around one fifth of the money the government spent on the response to Covid. It says 11.6 million jobs were supported by the furlough scheme. But the scheme also exposed the government to fraud and is expected to result in billions of pounds of additional losses to the tax payer. In September of last year, only after 6 months of the scheme running, HMRC was already estimating up to £3.5 billion of fraud and error in furlough payments. Now the scheme has closed, Paul Kenyon investigates businesses that claimed furlough money even thought their employees carried on working. Reporter: Paul Kenyon Producer: Anna Meisel Editor: Carl Johnston The fight against furlough fraud. |
Gain Without The Pain: Legal Drugs In Sport | 20170530 | 20170604 (R4) | Painkillers in sport: a form of legal doping or an excessive reliance on medication that puts the long-term health of athletes in jeopardy? With evidence of widespread use of over the counter anti-inflammatories to support performance or recovery at amateur level, File on 4 looks asks if there is enough regulation of painkilling drugs in sport across the ranks. About half of players competing at the past three World Cups routinely took non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen, according to research carried out by FIFA's former chief medical officer, Prof Jiri Dvorak. For him, this clearly constitutes the abuse of drugs in football, one which risks player's health and could 'potentially' have life-threatening implications. But is the sports community taking these warnings seriously enough? Professor Dvorak first warned about the long-term implications of players misusing painkillers in 2012 - has anything changed? Industry insiders their concerns about pain killer use in professional sport - including one former rugby international who says he developed serious long-term health problems as a result. And with evidence that even paracetamol can have a performance enhancing effect, how can sports regulators control substances that can give a competitive advantage but are widely available over the counter? With tales of athletes receiving pain relief in order to compete with broken toes or even a fractured bone in their back, we explore the lengths some may go to in order to stay in the game and ask if some sports are risking long-term harm by chasing short-term goals. Producer: Alys Harte Reporter: Beth McLeod. Painkillers in sport - the legal doping risking the long-term health of athletes. |
Gambling On Justice | 20220607 | 20220612 (R4) | Gambling is a multi-billion pound industry which is facing change. For years there has been mounting concern that in the digital era betting companies have expanded far beyond the reach of the law and the Government is set to table major new rules to transform how the industry is governed. But the reforms will not consider whether people who have been drawn into criminality by a gambling addiction are being failed by the criminal justice system. ~File On 4 uncovers significant failings throughout the criminal justice system when it comes to gambling-related crime. Reporter Paul Connolly speaks to people who have been jailed for gambling-related frauds, who reveal a lack of awareness among police and the judicial system, an absence of treatment and a prison system unable to offer even the most basic help to people with gambling addictions. Reporter: Paul Connolly Producer: Ben Robinson Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards Journalism Assistant: Tim Fernley Production Manager: Sarah Payton Editor: Carl Johnston Does the criminal justice system understand crimes driven by gambling addiction? |
Game Changer: How The Uk Played On During Coronavirus | 20200526 | 20200531 (R4) | From the Olympics to Euro 2020, the world's biggest sporting events have fallen like dominoes because of coronavirus. But as the global pandemic was declared and most European countries closed their sports stadiums, the UK allowed events to carry on with hundreds of thousands of fans coming together to watch everything from Champions League football to the Cheltenham Gold Cup. File on 4 casts a forensic eye over the decisions that were made before the UK went into lockdown, speaks to those at the heart of these big events and asks whether allowing them to go ahead, enabled the virus to spread and put more lives at risk. Reporter: Adrian Goldberg Producer: Mick Tucker Editor: Carl Johnston Did allowing the sporting events to continue help spread Covid-19 and put lives at risk? |
Ghost Houses | 20240709 | 20240710 (R4) | There are more empty homes than homeless households in this country. Why? Filled with cobwebs, windows broken, and rats scurrying about in their overgrown gardens, the UK has hundreds of thousands of ghost houses - properties where no one lives. The UK also has the worst homelessness problem in the rich world. So could we use those empty homes for the people in dire need of a home? Simon Maybin investigates the phenomenon of empty homes and, over nine months, follows the work of someone trying to turn unused properties into homes for families among the record numbers who are now homeless. Reporter/producer: Simon Maybin Technical producer: Neil Churchill Production coordinators: Ellie Dover & Tim Fernley Editor: Richard Vadon Award-winning current affairs documentary series " There are more empty homes than homeless households in this country. Why? Filled with cobwebs, windows broken, and rats scurrying about in their overgrown gardens, the UK has hundreds of thousands of ghost houses - properties where no one lives. The UK also has the worst homelessness problem in the rich world. So could we use those empty homes for the people in dire need of a home? Simon Maybin investigates the phenomenon of empty homes and, over nine months, follows the work of someone trying to turn unused properties into homes for families among the record numbers who are now homeless. Reporter/producer: Simon Maybin Technical producer: Neil Churchill Production coordinators: Ellie Dover & Tim Fernley Editor: Richard Vadon Award-winning current affairs documentary series " There are more empty homes than homeless households in this country. Why? Filled with cobwebs, windows broken, and rats scurrying about in their overgrown gardens, the UK has hundreds of thousands of ghost houses - properties where no one lives. The UK also has the worst homelessness problem in the rich world. So could we use those empty homes for the people in dire need of a home? Simon Maybin investigates the phenomenon of empty homes and, over nine months, follows the work of someone trying to turn unused properties into homes for families among the record numbers who are now homeless. Reporter/producer: Simon Maybin Technical producer: Neil Churchill Production coordinator: Gemma Ashman Editor: Richard Vadon |
Going Back: The People Reversing Their Gender Transition | 20191126 | 20191201 (R4) | An increasing number of people are questioning their gender identity. Waiting lists for specialist clinics treating both children and adults with gender dysphoria are increasing, with some having to wait years to been seen. Many who transition to a gender different to the one they were assigned at birth live happy lives. But, File on 4 has spoken to some who now regret the taking of cross-sex hormones or undergoing surgery, and who are now detransitioning. They and experts working in the field of gender identity fear that other mental health issues are not being adequately explored before life-changing decisions are made and have told the BBC more help is needed for this vulnerable group. Image credit; Natasaadzic\Getty The people reversing their gender transition |
Green On Blue | 20120925 | 20120930 (R4) | In the first of a new series, Gerry Northam investigates the rising number of so called 'green on blue' attacks in which Afghan soldiers and policemen have turned their guns on British and other international troops. With more than 50 NATO troops killed in insider attacks this year, is enough being done to protect those working as mentors? The US has invested over $50 billion on developing independent Afghan security forces but according to a US Government audit, the majority of Afghan troops remain heavily reliant on American help and support. Even widespread illiteracy remains a problem. Meanwhile the impact of the recent attacks is huge - undermining the trust that's needed between the Afghan forces and the coalition troops getting them ready to take over the security in 2014. So how reliable is the screening of new Afghan recruits? And, with continuing questions over their loyalties and capabilities, can there be an effective withdrawal in two years' time? Presenter: Gerry Northam Producer: David Lewis. Why are growing numbers of allied soldiers being killed by their Afghan allies? |
Groomed, Abused And Put In Prison: Rochdale's Untold Story | 20200714 | 20200719 (R4) | How does an abused teenager get a criminal record while her abusers walk free? This is untold story of the Rochdale grooming scandal - how one young woman has been denied justice and how her attackers are still at large. For the very first time, 'Daisy' tells her harrowing story to File on 4. How, from the age of 12, she was groomed, raped and abused by a gang of men. The abuse led her to be involved in some criminal behaviour - but when the police investigated and she told them what was happening, she says she was ignored. She was sent to prison, where, for the first time since the abuse started, she says she felt safe. But when she was released, it started again. The police have admitted some failures but, a decade after they launched their investigation into systematic and organised abuse, Daisy and two other young women, who were also abused, are now taking civil action against Greater Manchester Police and the Crown Prosecution Service. Producer: Sally Chesworth Reporter: Alys Harte Editor: Carl Johnston Jailed for being abused? The untold story of Rochdale's grooming scandal. |
Grooming: A Life Sentence? | 20130611 | 20130616 (R4) | In the latest high profile grooming trial, 7 men from Oxford will be sentenced later this month for sexually exploiting and raping 6 schoolgirls. Police said the girls - some as young as 12 - were 'abused to the point of torture' for years. One girl was injected with heroin. Another was forced to have a backstreet abortion. The police praised the young women for finding the strength to give evidence against the gang and protect other girls. But, after the legal process ends, what support is there for victims? After a string of such abuse cases around the country, Jane Deith finds there are many young women who say they've been let down by the authorities and are struggling, alone, with mental health problems and difficulties with education and housing. More victims of grooming are being rescued. But does being sexually exploited as a child mean a life sentence? Reporter: Jane Deith Producer: Sally Chesworth. Are young grooming victims getting the help they need to rebuild their lives? |
Gun Control: Europe's Flooded Market | 20150324 | 20150329 (R4) | With Britain on heightened alert following Islamist shootings in Paris and Copenhagen, how well prepared are we to deal with a similar attack? Allan Urry discovers how extremists in neighbouring European countries were able to get access to guns and hears concerns about the ready availability of illegal weapons from Eastern Europe and North Africa. So what risk does that pose for the UK? Britain prides itself on tough gun control, but is that enough to prevent determined would-be terrorists getting access to firearms? Reporter: Allan Urry Producer: Gail Champion. After terrorist shootings in Europe, how vulnerable is the UK to a similar attack? |
Harassed Students 're-victimised', By Universities | 20190917 | 20190922 (R4) | ~File On 4 exposes serious flaws in the way many universities mismanage reports of sexual assaults and harassment and how some students believe they're re-victimised and bullied into keeping their complaints quiet. Up until three years ago the guidelines for universities said sexual misconduct should never be investigated internally. But in 2016 guidelines published by Universities UK, encouraged universities to take on these cases in-house as civil matters, with allegations to be examined on the balance of probabilities', rather than the criminal court standard of beyond reasonable doubt'. But students tell reporter Fiona Foster how they believe universities are more interested in protecting their reputation than their students and serial offenders are still at large. Even when perpetrators are dealt with, they're often given derisory punishments. The Office For Students says it has invested more than two million pounds in initiatives to work out ways of addressing the issue and that it has seen evidence of some universities managing complaints effectively. The organisation says if it sees evidence of a university not dealing with complaints it has the power to intervene. Reporter: Fiona Foster Producer: Kate West Editor: Carl Johnston Image credit; Christopher Furlong\Getty Harassed students 're-victimised' by universities. |
Held To Ransom | 20210713 | 20210718 (R4) | The extraordinary story of a UK schools group which took on a cyber ransomware gang. The Harris Federation seems an unlikely target for ransomware criminals but it found itself at the centre of a cyber attack by anonymous hackers. With its servers down and a ransom demand of nearly £3 million, school leaders had to decide quickly whether to pay or suffer the consequences. File on 4 has unique access to the extraordinary negotiations that took place behind the scenes, involving an Israeli security company and Russian hackers. More British institutions are being hit by ransomware gangs than ever before, from multi-national corporations to health care trusts and even schools. The attackers hack into an organisation's computer system, encrypt the data and demand a ransom to get it back. Increasingly, they also threaten to publish sensitive information if no payment is made. It's known as double extortion. The former head of the National Cyber Security Centre tells File on 4 that the government needs to intervene as a matter of urgency, and make it illegal to pay ransomware gangs. Presenter: Paul Kenyon Producer: Paul Grant Editor: Nicola Addyman The UK schools caught in a multi-million pound cyber extortion attack by Russian hackers. |
Hidden Figures? The True Scale Of Military Sexual Allegations | 20190716 | 20190721 (R4) | Ten years ago the alleged rape and subsequent suicide of Royal Military Police Corporal, Anne-Marie Ellement, highlighted problems with the way the British military handles allegations of sexual offences against female service personnel. File on 4 investigates ten years on, what has changed? There's no doubt that the top echelons of the armed forces take such cases very seriously indeed. Speaking about recent allegations, the Chief of the General Staff, General Sir Mark Carleton-Smith said it was unacceptable and in stark contrast with everything the British Army represents. But how far has that attitude filtered down the ranks in reality? ~File On 4 hears from current and former female service personnel who alleged that they were sexually harassed, assaulted or raped, about how they feel they were let down by their chain of command when they reported their ordeal. We hear their criticism of the official Services Complaint system. And why they think the incompetence of the service police undermined their attempts to gain justice. We also hear from former members of the service police itself who explain why they think that their former comrades are not fit to investigate serious crime and why the system must be reformed. For its part, the Ministry of Defence tells the programme it accepts there are shortcomings and that changes are on the way, Presenter: Paul Connolly Producer: Paul Waters Editor: Andrew Smith Photo credit: MoD Criticisms of the way allegations of sexual assault are handled in the armed forces |
High Anxiety: The Deadly Trade In Street Valium | 20221101 | 20221106 (R4) | They're cheap - but they're also deadly. Illegal pills costing as little as 50p each are contributing to the deaths of hundreds of people each year in Scotland. Now an expert is warning benzodiazepines, or street Valium, could pose a growing threat elsewhere. Jane Deith talks to those whose lives have been destroyed by benzodiazepines, a category of drugs usually used to treat anxiety that can be prescribed, but which have become a major feature of the illegal drugs market in Scotland and now elsewhere in the UK. The so called `street benzos` are a class C drug manufactured in huge quantities in illegal factories and sold for as little as 50p each, less than a bar of chocolate. But in combination with other drugs benzodiazepines can be fatal, significantly increasing the risk of an overdose. In recent years the number of people dying has risen sharply. Last year in Scotland more than 800 people died with illegal street benzos in their system. In England and Wales the death toll was over 500, with 171 of those who died having used benzodiazepine analogues, fake versions that can vary widely - and dangerously - in strength. From the Clyde to Cornwall, File on 4 hears the stories of those dealing with the fallout from the trade in the drugs, including people who have been addicted to them; a mother in North East England who lost her daughter to a fatal overdose; a teenager who bought them on social media, and an expert who believes their influence is spreading, with potentially dangerous consequences. Reporter: Jane Deith Producer: Fergus Hewison Research: George Crafer Journalism Assistant: Tim Fernley Production Manager: Sarah Payton Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Editor: Carl Johnston The cheap but deadly pills behind a spike in overdose deaths. |
'high Way' To Hell | 20160906 | 20160911 (R4) | Earlier this year, the government introduced legislation banning the production, distribution, sale and supply of legal highs. Designed to stop what has been described as a tsunami of chemicals flooding into the UK, it has resulted in the closure of the high street shops which had been selling exotically named substances like Spice, Mamba and China White. So why are they still finding their way onto the streets? File on 4 traces the supply back to labs in China and discovers a myriad of psychoactive substances are still only a few internet clicks away. Prior to the ban, the authorities were aware of the risk that internet sales could take over from the high street and that China is fast becoming the 'chemical and pharmaceutical wholesaler to the world'. So is the new legislation really the answer, and if not, what options remain to disrupt the now illegal supply of these lethal substances? Reporter: Danny Vincent Producer: Nicola Dowling. High way' to hell: File on 4 investigates the lethal highs coming to the UK from China. |
Highways Agency | 20121120 | 20121125 (R4) | Fed up with road works? Stuck in a queue of traffic? The Government is promising big improvements for drivers who use motorways and major roads. It's looking for ways to increase private sector involvement and to boost investment. So what future for the body that currently manages the network in England? With the CBI calling for it to be scrapped, and with criticism from local authorities and motoring organisations, Allan Urry road asks whether it's the end of the road for the Highways Agency? Producer: Ian Muir-Cochrane. With the CBI calling for it to be scrapped, Allan Urry examines the Highways Agency. |
Homes But No Loans | 20110125 | 20110130 (R4) | Homes but no loans. Despite the threat of a new slide in house prices and rising levels of negative equity, the number of property-buyers having their homes repossessed has declined over the past year. But now many economists predict interest rates will rise in the course of 2011, fuelling fears that Britain's housing market could be facing a double dip. With banks chasing profits and affordable mortgages harder to find. Michael Robinson asks what impact the new housing freeze will have on Britain's already battered economy. Producer: Andy Denwood. How will the mortgage freeze hit Britain's already battered economy? |
Homes Not Hospitals | 20160913 | 20160918 (R4) | Five years after shocking revelations about the abuse of patients at Winterbourne View, File on 4 asks what progress has been made on the promise to get people with learning disabilities and autism out of hospital units and into homes in the community with good support. Families of those still stuck in these units say patients are trapped in the system with no clear plan or apparent will to get them home. For those eventually discharged, almost as many others are admitted - parents say, because there aren't enough community support services. But if people are let out by the institutions, what's does so-called 'supported living' in the community look like? File on 4 hears concerns about the quantity and quality of this promised care. Parents describe living on the brink of a crisis that could land their children back in a cycle of being sectioned and locked up. NHS England says the plans are taking shape. But families say it's like living in The Twilight Zone, in a limbo hidden from mainstream view and unable to find a way out. So just how successful is the landmark 'Homes not Hospitals' plan, that aims to improve life for some of the most vulnerable patients in the NHS? Reporter: Jane Deith Producer: Sally Chesworth Editor: Gail Champion. Has care for people with learning disabilities improved since Winterbourne View? |
Hospitals, Open All Hours? | 20130122 | 20130127 (R4) | The government and senior medical figures want consultants to be more hands on in hospitals at weekends and at night. It follows evidence patients are less likely to receive prompt treatment and more likely to die if they are admitted to hospital on a Saturday or Sunday. A recent survey of hospital chief executives showed they had significant doubts their hospitals were as safe at weekends as during the week. Jane Deith examines cases which raise concerns about out of hours care in hospitals. Is there enough senior medical support for junior doctors and how effective is the on-call system where consultants are available to give advice over the phone from home? While departments such as accident and emergency, intensive care and obstetrics, already have consultants working in hospitals during the weekend, some medical colleges believe the time has come for 24 hour, seven days a week consultant cover on the wards. Jane visits hospitals trying to achieve this and hears the challenges they face. The programme also investigates what this increased consultant presence might cost the NHS and whether there will be enough senior doctors available to make it happen. The College of Emergency Medicine, for example, says accident and emergency departments are facing a recruitment crisis and it does not expect to see the required number of consultants until 2030. Producer: Paul Grant. Can the NHS afford to have more senior doctors working out of hours? Jane Deith reports. |
Housing Blight? | 20150609 | 20150614 (R4) | With the urgent need for more housing, Britain's planning laws are under pressure like never before. Greenbelt land and even sites designated as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, are being earmarked for development. So how far can we protect the countryside when the need for houses is so acute? Allan Urry reveals new figures on scale of the problem and investigates claims that the planning system is being stretched to breaking point. Reporter: Allan Urry Producer: Emma Forde. How can we build more houses and still protect our countryside? Allan Urry investigates. |
How Did My Child Die? The Crisis In Paediatric Pathology | 20230103 | 20230108 (R4) | The death of a child causes parents' unimaginable grief, but this is being exacerbated by long delays to post mortem reports due to a shortage of pathologists in the UK. The number of paediatric pathologists means that children and babies are having to be moved around to other parts of the country in order for post mortems to be undertaken, causing even further distress for families. When a child dies suddenly, sometimes post-mortems may need the input of specialist pathologists. But these even fewer in number meaning bereaved parents are waiting months, sometimes years to discover why their child died. But these shortages can have even more devastating consequences. ~File On 4 has uncovered cases where parents suspected of harming their child have waited months for post-mortem reports to be completed, only to be exonerated of any wrongdoing once the findings are back. During which they've had other children taken into care and faced months under wrongful suspicion. The head of the family courts in England and Wales says long waits for post-mortem reports in suspected child homicides cases is `unacceptable`. But it's not just the courts raising concerns. Senior police chiefs say a shortage of specialists is also causing delays to police investigations and the criminal process. Adrian Goldberg investigates the crisis which has been years in the making, with The Royal College of Pathologists warning that the situation is `critical`. Reporter: Adrian Goldberg Producer: Emma Forde Technical Producer: Mitch Goodall Editor: Carl Johnston Production Coordinator: Tim Fernley Production Manager: Sarah Payton Adrian Goldberg investigates how a shortage of pathologists is impacting bereaved parents. |
How Safe Is Your Pension? | 20161011 | 20161016 (R4) | Following the BHS scandal, Allan Urry investigates other cases in which employees claim they've lost out because companies have ditched their full pension fund commitments. It's the job of the Pensions Regulator to ensure employers follow the rules and to protect the benefits of those who've been paying in. So how good are they at keeping your pension safe? The programme untangles the complex financial engineering that goes on as some foreign investors try to wash their hands of any on-going obligations to their UK workforce. And one former director whose actions cost a pension fund millions of pounds is confronted at his home. Producer: Paul Grant Reporter: Allan Urry. As the scandal over the collapse of BHS rumbles on, how safe is your pension? |
How To Close Guantanamo? | 20071113 | 20071118 (R4) | Jon Manel looks at the potential problems in closing the controversial detention facility. |
Hs2: Winners And Losers | 20131008 | 20131013 (R4) | The government is stepping up its support for HS2, the high-speed rail project due to link London and Birmingham by 2026 with extensions to Manchester and Leeds by 2032. The cost is officially estimated to be £42.6bn and could rise to more than £51bn if, as expected, the scheme incurs VAT. Opponents foresee further increases and have predicted an eventual bill of £80bn for taxpayers. Who stands to gain from the project and who will be the losers? The government has published detailed maps of the route to be taken by the first stage, leading to calamitous falls in the value of many nearby properties. Towns and cities which are near the route but not linked to HS2 fear that their economies will suffer as businesses are attracted to Birmingham and the northern ends of the line. Current fast train services are due to suffer drastic cuts in the wake of HS2 and some major development plans are now deemed to be at risk. Meanwhile, economic advisers in the three major cities are planning for billions of pounds worth of benefits as travel-times and congestion on the existing network are reduced. Gerry Northam reports from areas which expect to benefit from HS2 and those which could lose out and asks what lessons can be learned from the impact of Britain's first high-speed rail project - HS1 in Kent. Producer: Ian Muir-Cochrane Editor: David Ross. Who are the winners and losers from high-speed rail? |
Hunting The Darknet Dealers | 20220111 | 20220116 (R4) | The high stakes cat and mouse game between police and darknet drug dealers Police say they are finally turning the tide on drug dealers selling on the darknet - a secretive part of the internet which has been described as like `online shopping for drugs.` The UK's National Crime Agency says recent international takedowns of so called dark markets and arrests in multiple countries are a result of new techniques in cyber policing that is giving them the upper hand. However, BBC research suggests that police around the world have an uphill struggle on their hands as many dealers - known as vendors - have survived multiple market place collapses by operating across many different darknet sites. The BBC's cyber reporter Joe Tidy and BBC data journalist Alison Benjamin journey into this hidden world to speak to vendors and buyers and uncover secrets of the trade The programme reveals the major role played by UK dealers in the global business which is estimated to be worth more than a billion dollars a year. Reporter: Joe Tidy Producer: Paul Grant Editor: Maggie Latham The high stakes cat and mouse game between police and darknet drug dealers. |
Hush Money: The Rise And Fall Of An International Fraudster | 20210914 | 20210919 (R4) | ~File On 4 reveals the inside story of Ramon Abbas, one of a new breed of prolific global cyber fraudsters. As Abbas awaits sentencing in the US for money-laundering, File on 4 asks if enough is being done to protect us from online criminals operating across international borders. Snared by the FBI in 2020, Abbas is better known as Instagram influencer Hushpuppi, who flaunted a life of designer clothes, private jets and penthouse apartments to millions of followers. Little did they know that his lavish lifestyle was funded through a complex web of cyber-heists. He even had a hand in an audacious attempt to steal £100 million from a Premier League Football Club. Most cyber-criminals remain nameless, faceless, anonymous and all but untraceable. Now, File on 4 unmasks Ramon Abbas, revealing a complicated, sometimes ruthless character driven by a thirst for wealth and celebrity status. In addition, we expose the inner workings of a clandestine operation that earned him a reputation as the world's most high-profile money-launderer. Reporters: Paul Connolly and Princess Abumere Producer: Helen Clifton Editor: Maggie Latham The rise and fall of Hushpuppi - the social media influencer and global money-launderer. |
Illegal Gold Mining | 20091117 | 20091122 (R4) | Jenny Cuffe reports from DR Congo on the scale of illegal gold mining. |
Illegal Workers | 20100706 | 20100711 (R4) | Lifting the lid on illegal London - welcome to a world of forged documents and faked identities. It's believed there are likely to be more than 200,000 illegal migrant workers in the UK's capital city. But how are they able to survive. How do they get work? In this special investigation, Jon Manel obtains rare access into the lives of some of London's illegal workers - lives often based on lies and deception. He discovers that some are now so much part of the system, they even pay tax and national insurance. He hears of miserable and difficult times spent living in the shadows. But other illegal workers say they are making a bigger contribution than many who were born here. 'I'm doing a job that most English persons wouldn't do. I think I've never seen an English person cleaning a toilet'. And he goes to a well known part of London that owes its survival to the workers who shouldn't be here. Producer: Paul Grant. Jon Manel lifts the lid on illegal working in London. |
Illicit Arms Trade | 20130115 | 20130120 (R4) | The recent conviction of an arms broker from Yorkshire has raised serious concerns about the murky world of the international weapons trade. Gary Hyde was sentenced to seven years imprisonment for one of the largest illegal arms deals ever uncovered: 80,000 guns and 32 million rounds of ammunition shipped from China to Nigeria - enough to equip a small army. But no-one knows where they ended up. Britain has strict regulations governing the sale and export of firearms, so how did he manage it? Where have the guns gone? ~File On 4 investigates the British arms dealers brokering weapons for some of the world's most dangerous regimes. Some have done work for the Ministry of Defence. One was even a firearms advisor to the Home Office. Allan Urry asks what this means for the UK's licensing and arms export regimes, claimed to be among the best in the world. Producer: Gail Champion. Allan Urry asks how gunrunners can fuel the global illegal arms trade from within the UK. |
Improvised Explosive Devices In Afghanistan | 20100202 | 20100207 (R4) | What is being done to tackle the threat of improvised explosive devices in Afghanistan. |
Incompetence Within The Learning And Skills Council | 20090616 | 20090621 (R4) | Gerry Northam investigates allegations of incompetence and neglect in England's biggest quango, the Learning and Skills Council. As the recession leads to rocketing unemployment, apprentices and local college students have been hit by a dramatic cash crisis in this government agency, which oversees their training. Gerry Northam investigates allegations of incompetence in the Learning and Skills Council. |
Increasing Bank Profits | 20091103 | 20091108 (R4) | The head of the Financial Services Authority, Lord Turner, has questioned the social usefulness of what banks do. But as he and other regulators wrestle with ways of controlling so-called 'casino operations', Michael Robinson lifts the lid on the latest tricks of the trade which some banks are now using to increase profits. Michael Robinson examines the latest tricks which some banks are using to increase profits |
Inside The Abattoir | 20140617 | 20140622 (R4) | The recent furore over halal meat has focused attention on how our meat is killed and processed. But beyond the ethical and religious debate over halal, are there bigger concerns about how abattoirs are regulated and policed? Companies have been fined for failing to remove body parts associated with the human form of mad cow disease, BSE. Now there are plans to shake-up the inspection process which critics say this could lead to more infected animals entering the food chain. There are also claims that vets based in abattoirs to monitor animal welfare - and inspectors who check meat we eat is safe - regularly face threats and intimidation. Allan Urry investigates the grim realities of the slaughterhouse. Producer: Carl Johnston. After the recent debate over halal meat, Allan Urry investigates Britain's abattoirs. |
Inside The World Of The Class A Student | 20190129 | 20190203 (R4) 20191110 (R4) | Tom Wright investigates the normalisation of drug taking amongst Britain's students. A recent graduate, he says Class A drugs like MDMA are bought and sold with impunity by students across the country. The student bubble, like a music festival, has become an almost decriminalised space - where the chances of getting caught are perceived to be almost non-existent. Drug dealers brazenly target student areas, handing out business cards with a la carte menus of Class A and B drugs. Unlike music festivals, where on-site drug testing is rapidly becoming the norm, universities do little to engage with harm reduction. Those that do risk widespread criticism for normalising' drug taking. Meanwhile Universities proclaim 'zero tolerance' drugs policies and the police say they have neither the resources or the inclination to punish casual drug use. Tom Wright investigates whether universities are doing enough to help their students and asks, could campus drug testing help keep our students safe? If you've been affected by addiction, help and support is available: https://www.BBC.co.uk/programmes/articles/1kS7QTDB16PWkywhsXJLzxz/information-and-support-addiction-alcohol-drugs-and-gambling Presenter: Tom Wright Producer: Anna Meisel Editor: Andrew Smith Students say drugs are as common as alcohol. |
Insolvency Practitioners: A Corporate Killing | 20101012 | 20101017 (R4) | Do Insolvency Practitioners measure up to the high standards expected of them when they are called in to a stricken business? Allan Urry examines concerns that some IP's don't always act in the best interests of creditors who are owed money when companies fail. Are landlords right to complain they've been getting a raw deal because some corporate undertakers side too much with their retail paymasters, who are pushing for reduced rents because their businesses are in trouble. The Office of Fair Trading is calling for far reaching reforms amid concerns about high fees and low recovery rates for some creditors. So is there proper oversight of a profession which takes a billion pounds in fees each year, but isn't subjected to much public scrutiny? PRODUCER: Paul Grant. Allan Urry investigates concerns about the role of insolvency practitioners. |
Insurance And Child Abuse | 20150224 | 20150301 (R4) | With a growing number of compensation claims arising from cases of historic sexual abuse and more recent high profile cases of sexual grooming, Tim Whewell investigates the key role which insurance companies play. In representing the local authorities where scandals occurred, insurers naturally seek to limit liability but are they doing so at a cost to victims? Lawyers say they have to battle to get access to files and other information - causing further distress and delaying help for those damaged by abuse. Some say the fight is getting harder as insurance companies have toughened their approach in recent years. And, with a national inquiry into historic cases of child sex abuse, how much influence did insurance companies have on the way some past investigations were carried out? File on 4 talks to senior local authority insiders who say they were told to alter their approach to abuse investigations to protect the insurers' interests. But was that at the expense of children at risk? Reporter: Tim Whewell Producer: Sally Chesworth. Have local authority insurers too much influence on the way sex abuse cases are handled? |
Investigating Employee Assistance Programmes | 20240312 | 20240317 (R4) | ‘Employee Assistance Programmes' - almost 25 million workers in the UK have access to one through their employer. They're designed to help people deal with personal problems that might affect their performance at work by offering advice, support or counselling sessions. But are all providers offering a good service? File on 4 investigates. Reporter: Alys Harte Producers: Vicky Carter and Ella Rule Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Production Coordinators: Jordan King and Tim Fernley Editors: Clare Fordham and Carl Johnston Are 'Employee Assistance Programmes' always offering a good service? Alys Harte examines 'Employee Assistance Programmes' - which almost 25 million workers in the UK have access to through their employer. |
Invisible Souls | 20240820 | 20240821 (R4) | Fishermen from the Philippines, Ghana and Sri Lanka speak out about how badly, they say, they were treated by a Scottish fishing company that hired them. Most of the fishermen have been waiting in the UK for more than 10 years for their case to be heard. Despite two extensive police investigations, no convictions have been secured for human trafficking or modern slavery. This is the first time the fishermen have spoken out. Reporter and Producer Monica Whitlock. Music by Jon Nicholls. Mix and Sound Design by Tom Brignell. Production Coordinator: Tim Fernley. Editor Alys Harte. Image: Fishermen from the Philippines and Ghana who worked on scallop boats. Fishermen speak out about their experience working for a Scottish company. Award-winning current affairs documentary series Fishermen from the Philippines, Ghana and Sri Lanka speak out for the first time about how badly, they say, they were treated by a Scottish fishing company. Fishermen from the Philippines, Ghana and Sri Lanka speak out about how badly, they say, they were treated by a Scottish fishing company that hired them. Most of the fishermen have been waiting in the UK for more than 10 years for their case to be heard. Despite two extensive police investigations, no convictions have been secured for human trafficking or modern slavery. This is the first time the fishermen have spoken out. Reporter and Producer Monica Whitlock. Music by Jon Nichols. Mix and Sound Design by Tom Brignell. Editor Carl Johnston Current affairs documentary series investigating major issues at home and abroad. |
Iranian Sanctions | 20120214 | 20120219 (R4) | With the EU poised to ban oil imports from Iran, Allan Urry assesses the impact of international sanctions on Britain and Europe. Designed to curb Iran's nuclear programme, the oil embargo could further push up the cost of fuel. Iranian companies are involved in a number of joint ventures that bring energy into European homes and factories: File on 4 examines what will happen to these vital projects as the new round of trade restrictions begins to bite. And British companies that trade legitimately with Iran are already finding it harder to do business. They warn that it could lead to job losses. How will the sanctions affect Europe at a time when many economies are in recession or are just stagnating? And how effective are the new restrictions likely to be given Iran's experience of finding ways around international controls on what it can buy and sell. Producer: David Lewis. How will a European ban on Iranian oil affect Britain during a period of economic gloom? |
Iran's Nuclear Standoff | 20130528 | 20130602 (R4) | There's mounting concern over the Iranian nuclear programme. Is Tehran is simply playing cat and mouse with the international community and buying time until it is ready to develop a nuclear weapon? Evidence is emerging that Iran is co-operating with North Korea, a country which has already developed its own weapon. The latest report from the UN's international watchdog, the IAEA, is due out next month - but has the IAEA been strong enough in its dealings with Tehran and Pyongyang? Reporter Rob Broomby charts the history of concealment of Iran's nuclear activities and its refusal to abandon the most controversial parts of its programme, despite numerous UN Security Council resolutions and a raft of sanctions. In a detailed interview with File on 4, Iran's ambassador dealing with nuclear matters, Ali Ashgar Soltanieh, denies his country is a 'serial offender'. But can protestations of innocence be taken seriously when Iran still refuses inspectors access to key sites and documents? The programme also examines the role of the IAEA in dealing with Iran and hears from former nuclear inspectors, ex-Whitehouse officials, diplomats and experts. Is the Agency up to the job of preventing states from acquiring the bomb? Producer: Ian Muir-Cochrane. With growing concern over Iran's nuclear intentions, is the UN watchdog up to the job? |
Iraqi Refugees | 20091201 | 20091206 (R4) | Kate Clark investigates why thousands of Iraqi refugees are still refusing to return home. |
Ireland's Far Right Riot | 20240130 | 20240204 (R4) | When three young children and their carer were stabbed outside a school in Dublin, protests against immigration began, fuelled by rumours on social media. A night of rioting then followed, with shops looted, vehicles set alight, and police attacked. The rioting has placed immigration centre stage of Irish politics, with one of the country's most famous sports stars, mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor, claiming Ireland is “at war ? and saying he wants to be president. File on 4 investigates what caused the riots, and asks is Ireland at a turning point in its history? Reporter: Shane Harrison Producers: Fergus Hewison and Surya Elango Technical Producer: Sue Stonestreet Production Coordinator: Tim Fernley Editor: Carl Johnston Immigration is now centre stage in Irish politics after unprecedented rioting in Dublin. An unprecedented night of rioting in Dublin has placed immigration centre stage in Irish politics. Is Ireland now at a turning point? ~File On 4 tells the story behind the killing of schoolgirl Brianna Ghey. |
Is Jobcentre Plus Working? | 20100323 | 20100328 (R4) | The government is promising extra help for people out of work during the recession. But, as Britain braces itself for a rise in unemployment, Allan Urry reports from the communities already hardest hit and asks what redundant steelmakers, public sector workers and others joining the dole queue can really expect at the Jobcentre. Allan Urry reports from the communities already hardest hit by the rise in unemployment. |
Is The Patient Breathing? | 20221018 | 20221023 (R4) | From the harrowing 999 calls of people waiting for an ambulance to the paramedics stretched to breaking point, File on 4 goes on the frontline of the ambulance crisis. Rachel Stonehouse speaks to the family of one man who died after waiting nearly 11 hours for an ambulance and the wife who desperately tried to keep her husband alive after an ambulance failed to turn up on time. She goes out on shift with hard pressed paramedics and sees the steps which are being taken to try to reduce delays in handing over patients at hospital - blamed as one of the main factors behind poor response times. In August alone, 138,000 hours were lost to handover delays in England. That equates to nearly 150 patients who could not be attended by an ambulance every hour of every day in that month. The government says it is committed to easing pressure on the ambulance service - by discharging more patients in hospitals, increasing the number of 999 call handlers and creating more beds. Reporter: Rachel Stonehouse Producer: Paul Grant Research: Scott Hesketh Journalism Assistant: Tim Fernley Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Editor: Carl Johnston Twenty-four hours on the front line of the ambulance crisis. |
Islamic State: Looting For Terror | 20150217 | 20150222 (R4) | Satellite images reveal the extent to which sites of important historical interest have been looted in Syria. Some of these are in areas controlled by Islamic State where looters are believed to pay a tax to allow them to operate. Iraqi military say evidence from a senior IS member revealed the group is making millions of pounds from the trafficking of looted antiquities Simon Cox investigates the global trade in stolen artefacts and traces smuggling routes through Turkey and Lebanon and onto the international antiquities market. He hears concerns that dealers and collectors are not doing enough to verify the provenance of ancient works of art and asks whether the authorities in the UK and elsewhere are doing enough to prevent the trade. Why, for example, does the UK remain the most significant military power not to have ratified a UN convention to protect cultural property during armed conflict? Reporter: Simon Cox Producer: Paul Grant. Is Islamic State profiting from the global trade in antiquities looted from Syria? |
Isobel's Story | 20220927 | 20221002 (R4) | There are concerns that British victims of trafficking are less likely than foreign nationals to receive Home Office support to escape exploitation. More and more British victims of organised sexual abuse are being referred to the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) - the government's support pathway for victims of trafficking - following high profile sexual exploitation cases in Rochdale, Rotherham and Telford. But charities are warning that British victims are less likely to be given access to safehouses, legal aid and counselling. ~File On 4 hears the story of a young woman who has been raped hundreds of times since she was schoolgirl - and is still being abused despite going to the police and the Home Office for help. 'Isobel' says she has been consistently let down by the police and the Home Office who have failed to give her the support she needs to escape her abusers - causing her to be re-trafficked in recent weeks. The Human Trafficking Foundation says victims like Isobel are being failed by the NRM and that it was designed for foreign victims of trafficking seeking asylum and has not adapted to cater for the growing number of British victims. Producer: Hayley Mortimer Reporter: Annabel Deas Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Editor: Carl Johnston Concerns British victims of abuse are less likely to get help than foreign nationals. |
Jon Holmes, Generation Shame | 20230808 | Last year a Parliamentary Report concluded that between 1949 and 1976, around 185,000 babies of unmarried mothers were put up for adoption in England and Wales, many of these by force. For File on Four, The Skewer's Jon Holmes investigates whether he was one of them. Jon Holmes has always known he was adopted, but was never very interested in searching for his birth parents until results of a recent DNA test proved he was of Irish heritage and his curiosity was piqued. A large folder arrives from Warwickshire County Council and slowly Jon begins to unpick the story of his life and the world he was born into. As secrets of Jon's past are revealed, a Parliamentary Report by the Committee on Human Rights is published detailing shocking and vivid accounts of mothers being forced into giving up their babies by a society that outcast and shamed them at every turn. What will Jon discover about his own family? What truths will he uncover as he speaks to mothers forced into handing their newborns over, as well as fellow adoptees about the damaging and traumatic culture he was born into? Government has always denied any responsibility and is refusing demands for an apology, but is that really the case? As Jon slowly finds out more about his own past, he also investigates the impact of this era and asks where does responsibility for this societal culture li | |
Justice On Trial | 20220906 | 20220911 (R4) | It was to be one of the most ambitious just reform programmes in the world - a common platform' that would share information between the courts, lawyers and police, from arrest to court. But the quarter-of-a-billion pound IT project now stands accused of causing wrongful arrests and unlawful detentions. File on 4 has spoken with whistle-blowers from within the court service who say the system is unsafe, unfinished and beset with bugs, errors and glitches. Sources say early warnings were ignored and worry that the software continues to be rolled out to courts across England and Wales despite serious concerns about the risk it poses. Producer: Ben Robinson Reporter: Alys Harte Editor: Carl Johnston An investigation into software introduced in criminal courts that sources say is 'unsafe'. |
Kick Starting Recovery? | 20110809 | 20110814 (R4) | The Government's strategy to boost local enterprise in England began poorly. The Director of the CBI criticised it as 'a shambles' and Business Secretary Vince Cable admitted it was 'Maoist and chaotic'. Now 36 Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) have been established with the aim of supporting economic growth and innovation and encouraging a network of Enterprise Zones. But some experts remain sceptical. They claim that the policy has failed to put business interests first and that in some parts of the country it has been hijacked by local politicians. Others complain that areas of deprivation have been overlooked in favour of more affluent neighbours. There is also concern that the strategy is not implementing the government's policy of localism. Can LEPs deliver the economic fruits they promise? Or will some just fizzle out, as one insider fears? Gerry Northam reports. Producer: Ian Muir-Cochrane Editor: David Ross. Can the government's strategy to boost local enterprise recover from a 'chaotic' start? |
Killings In Care Homes | 20170523 | 20170528 (R4) | Headlines involving abuse in care homes normally centre on allegations against staff, but is aggression among residents being overlooked? With homes increasingly taking care of those with more complex needs such as dementia and other mental health disorders, are staff able to cope with some who have challenging behaviour? ~File On 4 has found evidence that some residents are suffering serious assaults by others living in the same home. Some have died from their injuries. Allan Urry investigates the unsolved killing of one dementia patient. Are workers skilled enough to recognise and deal with aggression, before it becomes violent, and should the NHS and local authorities be doing more to support them? When the perpetrators themselves often have little understanding of what they have done due to the nature of their illness-are they also being let down? The programme reveals failures in the system that could have cost lives. Reporter: Allan Urry Producer: Emma Forde Editor: Gail Champion. Are care homes able to protect frail and vulnerable elderly residents from violence? |
Lasting Legacy: What Went Wrong At A Hull Funeral Home? | 20240416 | 20240417 (R4) | The discovery of 35 bodies and an unknown quantity of unidentified human ashes at a Hull funeral home has become one of the most harrowing investigations in the history of Humberside Police. Linsey Smith investigates what went wrong and hears from some of the many families who've been left devastated by the discovery - some of whom now know the ashes they were given didn't belong to their loved ones. File on 4 also hears how the funeral industry is largely unregulated and how concerns raised more than three years ago by the Competition and Markets Authority about the storage and treatment of the deceased haven't been acted upon. Reporter: Linsey Smith Producers: Holly Clemens and Nicola Dowling Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Digital producer: Melanie Stewart-Smith Production Coordinators: Tim Fernley & Jordan King Editor: Carl Johnston Image Credit:Christopher Furlong\Getty What happened at a Hull funeral home where police found 35 bodies and unidentified ashes? File on 4 investigates what happened at a Hull funeral home where police found 35 bodies and an unknown quantity of unidentified human ashes Current affairs documentary series investigating major issues at home and abroad. |
Late Payments | 20140708 | 20140713 (R4) | Last month, in the Queen's Speech, the Government announced a series of measures to support small businesses -- including proposals to deal with the problem of late payment of bills by larger companies. It follows a long history of horror stories about major high street names leaving suppliers and sub-contractors out of pocket because of delays in settling accounts. Figures produced by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills revealed that 85 per cent of small and medium sized businesses said they had experienced late payment in the last two years and that, in total, there was £30bn outstanding to them. But File on 4 has found that it's not just in private business that serious problems are occurring. The programme speaks to business owners who say that that ineffective rules and sanctions have left them badly out of pocket on contracts undertaken in the public sector. Local authorities, the NHS and other Government departments have strict rules about how long they should take to pay their contractors. But Jenny Chryss reveals how some small firms are having to cut back on staff because bills still aren't being settled promptly. And she reveals how big contractors who do get paid on time, often delay before passing the money down the supply chain. So are critics right when they say the Government's proposed new measures still aren't enough to deal with the problem? Reporter: Jenny Chryss Producer: Emma Forde. Will new government measures help small companies being crippled by late-paid bills? |
Learning To Survive: The School Fighting The Cost Of Living Crisis | 20230124 | 20230129 (R4) | This episode tells the story of a primary school on the frontline of the cost of living crisis, a school doing more than most to make sure children are fed, warm and have somewhere safe to go home to at night. ~File On 4 spent several months recording at Ingol Community Primary in Preston. It's in one of the most deprived areas in England; more than half of their pupils are on pupil premium - additional state funding aimed at closing the attainment gap between poorer pupils and their peers - but that's not their only challenge. This school is going to exceptional lengths to make sure families survive the cost of living crisis this winter, all while battling unprecedented pressure on the school's own finances. Will they be able to make ends meet and still provide all this extra help for families? Reporter: Alys Harte Producer: Ben Robinson Journalism Assistant: Tim Fernley Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Editor: Carl Johnston The story of one primary school on the front line of the cost of living crisis. |
Leaseholder Losses | 20210601 | 20210606 (R4) | The government recently introduced new laws to protect leaseholders from large ground rent increases. But campaigners say more widespread changes are needed to properly protect the millions of leaseholders in England and Wales. The cladding scandal has highlighted just how few rights leaseholders have when it comes to what happens to the buildings they live in. Felicity Hannah discovers there are many other issues they face. A change in planning law means freeholders can now build extra apartments on top of blocks of flats without having to get planning permission. While such developments could bring in millions of pounds for landlords, the leaseholders can't object and in some cases could see the value of their homes plummet. Felicity speaks to residents who say one such development has turned their lives into a nightmare Other leaseholders have been left reeling after their council landlord landed them with estimated bills of over £100,000 for improvements to their homes. Under the rules, the homeowners can't challenge the costs and some fear they could have to sell up. Many people are now asking: is the current leasehold system fit for purpose? Reporter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Paul Grant Editor: Gail Champion Leaseholders say they need more protection. Is the current system letting them down? |
Leicester: Behind The Divide | 20221004 | 20221009 (R4) | Leicester is one of the most diverse cities in England - often presented as a shining example multi-cultural Britain. But tensions between some factions have been brewing in the city for months and boiled over recently when there were violent clashes which led to dozens of arrests. File on 4 investigates why sections of the Muslim and Hindu communities that once lived together in harmony are now divided. Reporter: Datshiane Navanayagam Producer: Hayley Mortimer Research: Sajid Iqbal and Ben Robinson Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Editor: Carl Johnston Recent tensions between sections of the Hindu and Muslim communities in Leicester. |
Lethal Weapons: The Blank-firing Guns Converted To Kill | 20240116 | 20240121 (R4) | Handguns which fire blanks are being converted into deadly weapons by criminals. File on 4 has discovered they're now being used more often than real handguns. Adrian Goldberg meets victims of gun crime and explores the UK's trade in illegal firearms. He discovers how easy it is to buy a blank firing pistol which can be illegally converted into a lethal weapon in 20 minutes, and hears from a former gangster who warns the law has too many loopholes. The UK has some of the strictest firearm laws in the world. So as some criminals struggle to obtain genuine guns, they're now getting blank-firing weapons converted into deadly weapons. As reporter Adrian Goldberg discovers how easy it is, gun campaigners call for tighter regulations around the manufacture and sale of blank firing weapons. Reporter: Adrian Goldberg Producer: Paul Grant Journalism Assistant: Tim Fernley Editor: Carl Johnston The blank firing guns being turned into lethal weapons on the streets of the UK. Handguns which fire blanks are being converted into deadly weapons by criminals. The National Ballistics Intelligence Service says they're now used more often than real handguns. Guns which fire blanks are being converted into deadly weapons by criminals. The National Ballistics Intelligence Service says that for the first time, their use has overtaken the use of real guns. Adrian Goldberg meets victims of gun crime and explores the UK's trade in illegal firearms. He discovers how easy it is to buy a blank firing pistol which can be illegally converted into a lethal weapon in 20 minutes, and hears from a former gangster who warns the law has too many loopholes. Guns which fire blanks are being converted into deadly weapons by criminals. The National Ballistics Intelligence Service says their use has now overtaken the use of real guns ~File On 4 tells the story behind the killing of schoolgirl Brianna Ghey. |
Levels Of Executive Pay | 20091013 | 20091018 (R4) | Fears over deep cuts in council jobs and services have brought predictions of a winter of discontent and strife unlike anything seen for 30 years. But as councils prepare to wield the axe, Julian O'Halloran asks if some authorities have added to their budget crises by awarding over-the-top pay, perks and severance terms to their own top executives. Julian O'Halloran examines the levels of pay awarded by some councils to their executives. |
Liquid Assets | 20140114 | 20140119 (R4) | As water companies submit their spending plans for the next five years, Lesley Curwen investigates what happens to the money once the household water bill has been paid. Half of England's water companies are now in the ownership of global investment funds. In many cases these corporate bodies are run and financed from abroad behind closed doors. They use a web of companies some in off-shore tax havens to provide a steady flow of dividends to their shareholders. But is their mechanism for generating shareholder income at the expense of the customers who are looking for lower bills and sustained investment in their water supply? Producer: Ian Muir-Cochrane. As water company bills rise, Lesley Curwen investigates where the money goes. |
Little Brother's Big Secrets | 20160927 | 20161002 (R4) | Valued at £80 billion, the UK's junior stock market is hyped as the most successful growth market in the world. Government incentives - including stamp duty and inheritance tax breaks - mean that more ordinary UK investors are opting for the Alternative Investment Market (AIM). Set up in 1995 to allow smaller companies to raise funds, AIM is a less-regulated alternative to its big brother, the main London Stock Exchange. But it is no stranger to controversy. Once labelled a 'casino' by a senior US regulator due to its lax regulation, the market has been hit by a series of recent high profile scandals. File on Four asks if this light-touch regulation poses a hidden risk for shareholders and if unscrupulous businesses are exploiting AIM to rip off ordinary British investors? Producer: Alys Harte Reporter: Simon Cox. Is the UK's alternative investment market, known as 'little brother', open to fraud? |
Living With Andrew Tate | 20230207 | 20230212 (R4) | A British woman tells File on 4 about her relationship with controversial social media influencer Andrew Tate, claiming that he pressurised her to work for his webcam company and that he was controlling and violent towards her. Tate is currently in detention in Bucharest along with his brother, Tristan, facing allegations of people trafficking and rape, which both men deny. Prosecutors allege that Andrew Tate recruited victims by seducing them and falsely claiming he wanted a relationship or marriage. 'Sophie' tells File on 4 what happened to her and other women who worked in Romania as webcam girls for Tate. The programme also interrogates Tate's claims that he's a self-made 'trillionaire' and asks whether his boasts around his vast wealth are all that they seem. Image credit: EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock Producer: Hayley Mortimer Reporters: Georgia Coan and Paul Kenyon Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Production team: Tim Fernley and Jordan King Editor: Carl Johnston *Since this episode of File on 4 was originally broadcast, lawyers acting for Andrew Tate have said that he denies all the allegations made against him in the programme. A British woman talks about her relationship with controversial influencer Andrew Tate. |
Living With Antisocial Behaviour | 20230606 | 20230611 (R4) | Earlier this year, the government announced their new plan to stamp out antisocial behaviour across England and Wales. Hot spot policing and what they call immediate justice' will be trialled in towns and cities in an attempt to curb the problem. What is it like to live in a community that experiences antisocial behaviour year-in, year-out? And what do the people who live there think needs to be done? This is the story of one community marred by antisocial behaviour - and their fight for better. Reporter: Alys Harte Producers: Vicky Carter and Surya Elango Digital Producer: Melanie Stewart-Smith Journalism Assistant: Tim Fernley Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Editor: Carl Johnston |
Locked Up In Lockdown | 20201027 | 20201101 (R4) | Are court backlogs creating miscarriages of justice? When the UK locked down, so did its court system, adding to a backlog that's left defendants, witnesses and victims facing long waits for trials. Helen Grady speaks to people inside the justice system to find out how it's coped with the pandemic - from delays in making courts covid-secure to a lack of PPE and overcrowding in prisons. We hear stories from prisons under lockdown and talk to lawyers who fear delays are leading to abuses of the criminal justice system. Producer: Rob Cave Are court backlogs creating miscarriages of justice? Helen Grady investigates. |
Locking Up The Sick | 20220510 | 20220515 (R4) | Almost half of all the seriously mentally ill people in prison assessed as needing hospital treatment are being refused the help they need. In this episode of File on 4, Shell and 'Ian' tell us the reality of living with mental illness whilst in prison, why so many people fail to get the crucial treatment they need whilst inside and what impact that has on them. And prison officer 'Mike' describes how a shortage of staff and a lack of training contribute to he and his colleagues struggling to help mentally ill prisoners. ~File On 4 research shows that the number of seriously mentally unwell prisoners denied a transfer to hospital has tripled in the past decade, leaving hundreds of desperately unwell people living in deeply unsuitable conditions. Reporter: Annabel Deas Producers: Jim Booth, Tom Wall Editor: Nicola Addyman For details of organisations that can provide help and support with mental health, self-harm and feelings of despair, visit the BBC Action Line. Mental health & Self-harm: https://www.BBC.co.uk/programmes/articles/1NGvFrTqWChr03LrYlw2Hkk/information-and-support-mental-health-self-harm Suicide / Emotional distress https://www.BBC.co.uk/programmes/articles/4WLs5NlwrySXJR2n8Snszdg/information-and-support-suicide-emotional-distress Nearly half of seriously mentally ill prisoners denied the hospital treatment they need. |
Locum Doctors: Bad For Your Health? | 20151103 | 20151108 (R4) | How safe are we in the hands of locum staff at NHS hospitals? The Government's crackdown on big fees charged by agencies that hire them out has been making headlines, but what's being done to ensure they are up to the job? Allan Urry investigates recent cases which raise questions about the quality of care delivered by some temporary staff. Should an agency doctor have better assessed a poorly surgical patient on his ward who died a short time later from a post -operative bleed? The programme also asks how well the agency sector is regulated following the revelation that a partly-qualified doctor was able to treat more than 3000 patients after lying about his qualifications. Reporter: Allan Urry Producer: David Lewis. How safe are we in the hands of the growing number of agency staff at NHS hospitals? |
London Calling | 20161108 | 20161113 (R4) | With the Government claiming to lead the way in plans to crack down on global corruption, how come so little is being done in Britain to tackle the vast sums of money allegedly laundered through the UK by corrupt foreign officials and international crime gangs? Allan Urry investigates claims that not enough is being done by the UK to tackle the laundering of corrupt assets or to assist nations who ask for help in getting their money back. The programme also hears complaints that British law enforcement is refusing to investigate cases. Reporter: Allan Urry Producer: David Lewis. Is the UK doing enough to tackle corruption and prevent money laundering in the capital? |
Long Covid: Mind Over Matter? | 20240521 | 20240529 (R4) | There are some two million people with long Covid in the UK - and most of them - around one and a half million - have symptoms that interfere with day to day activities. Fatigue, breathlessness, heart palpitations and severe dizziness are just some of the conditions people experience. Currently there's no test for long covid and it could be years before we know for sure how best to treat the condition. This struggle to get help is leaving some very unwell people desperate - and willing to try anything to get better. There are treatments to wash your blood, high pressure oxygen chambers normally used by deep sea divers. A rainbow of supplements. All with varying degrees of evidence. And perhaps most strongly dividing opinion - programmes that claim to retrain long Covid patients' brains to stop their symptoms. They say they can help people recover from illness by rewiring the brain using techniques to influence physical changes in the body. Rachel Schraer - the BBC's health and disinformation correspondent - hears from people with long Covid who say the programmes didn't work and in some cases made them feel worse. Others say they fully recovered. Reporter: Rachel Schraer Producer: Paul Grant Technical producers: Cameron Ward and Nicky Edwards Production co-ordinator: Tim Fernley Editor: Carl Johnston The programme claiming to retrain patients' brains to stop long Covid symptoms. Around two million people in the UK have long Covid. Rachel Schraer investigates a controversial programme that claims to retrain patients' brains to stop their symptoms. Current affairs documentary series investigating major issues at home and abroad. |
Looking For Levi | 20230228 | 20230305 (R4) | Levi Davis - a 24-year-old rugby player and X-Factor star went missing in Barcelona at the end of October last year. He's not been seen or heard from since. Four months on, File on 4 pieces together his last known movements - speaking to his family and friends to try and understand more about what happens when someone goes missing overseas without a trace. Reporter: Rachel Stonehouse Producer: Alys Harte Editor: Carl Johnston Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards Production Manager: Sarah Payton Production Team: Tim Fernley and Jordan King What happened to rugby star and X-Factor contestant Levi Davis, who vanished in Spain? |
Lost In Translation | 20231121 | 20231126 (R4) | When people who don't speak English, including refugees arriving in the UK after fleeing war, they are entitled to receive the support of interpreters when dealing with public sector organisations. The service provides a lifeline for some of society's most vulnerable people to help them navigate places like hospitals, social services and courts. But reporter Matthew Hill hears allegations the service is seriously failing those who need it most - with tragic consequences. Data obtained exclusively by File on 4 has revealed over the past five years at least 80 babies have died or suffered serious brain injuries in NHS maternity units in England, where interpreting and communication problems due to language difficulties, were a contributing factor. The programme also hears from an alleged victim of serious sexual abuse who says she was unable to give police an accurate account of her ordeal because the interpreter was so poor. Campaigners claim huge disparities in the levels of qualifications required in public service organisations and poor rates of pay have caused an exodus of qualified interpreters, which they claim is putting some of society's most vulnerable people at risk of harm. Reporter: Matthew Hill Producers: Ben Robinson and Surya Elango Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Production Coordinators: Tim Fernley and Jordan King Editor: Carl Johnston Public service interpreting service accused of failing people who don't speak English. Public service interpreting provides a lifeline for people who don't speak English but campaigners claim it is failing society's most vulnerable people - with tragic consequences. |
Lost On The Line: The County Lines Gangs Recruiting Girls | 20191015 | 20191020 (R4) | New figures have revealed at least four thousand young people are currently caught up in county lines - meeting orders for heroin and cocaine placed on mobile phone deal lines'. They're transporting drugs from cities to rural and coastal towns, and carrying weapons too - knives, hammers and acid. Many find themselves selling drugs in a strange town. Trapped, too scared to leave. Increasingly, when police raid the traphouses' where the drugs are held, they're finding girls. But how many young women are caught in the county lines? Some are being recruited online for their clean skins' - a lack of a criminal or gang connection - so they're less likely to be known to police and stopped. Others are used to launder money or facilitate travel and accommodation. The focus on boys working for the lines means girls have often been overlooked. Police chiefs guess 10 to 15% of children involved are girls. But they admit they have no real idea of the number of girls trapped in this violent world. ~File On 4 hears the female view from the county line, told by girls and women who've lived the life and witnessed serious violence. They reveal the particular reasons gangs want girls involved, as county lines become more sophisticated. Girls are less likely to be stopped, or undergo intimate searches by police. They are trapped through sexual violence and threats to kill. But with few projects offering specialist support to female members of county lines, are girls more at risk of being dragged back into the gangs? Reporter, Jane Deith Producer, Emma Forde Editor, Carl Johnston Image credit; cindygoff\Getty Lost on the Line: The county lines drugs gangs recruiting girls |
Lucy Letby: The Killer Questions | 20250211 | 20241001 (R4) 20241002 (R4) | File on 4 examines some of the most contentious evidence in the Lucy Letby trial. Award-winning current affairs documentary series |
Madrassas | 20111018 | 20111023 (R4) | Earlier this year, an imam working in Stoke-on-Trent was jailed for raping a 12 year old boy at his mosque. In the wake of the case, File on 4 investigates whether the thousands of children who visit mosques and madrassas each week to study the Quran are being properly protected. The leader of the Muslim Parliament of Great Britain has warned that without urgent action, his religion could face an 'avalanche' of historic cases similar to the ones which have swamped the Roman Catholic church. Already, several other abusers whose crimes remained undetected for decades have been brought to court. How can parents be sure their children are safe in unregulated madrassas where no-one ensures proper criminal record checks are made on staff and volunteers? And should the ban on corporal punishment in schools be extended to cover madrassas when some children still face physical punishment? Fran Abrams investigates. Producer: Sally Chesworth. Are children at risk of abuse in Britain's unregulated madrassa schools? |
Mali: Europe's Terror Threat | 20130312 | 20130317 (R4) | The French authorities acknowledge their intervention in Mali has made them terrorist target number one. In recent weeks, the country has raised its threat level - with high visibility police patrols at tourist destinations and government buildings - and a number of people suspected of planning to join Islamic extremists in Mali have been arrested. Jenny Cuffe examines concerns in France both about the rise of Islamist extremism and the tough action the authorities are taking in response. Last October, police uncovered bomb making equipment following a grenade attack on a Jewish butchers in Paris. Eight months earlier, extremist Mohamed Merah killed three soldiers and a rabbi and three children outside a Jewish school in Toulouse. Meanwhile more than 100 imams deemed to be dangerous have been deported in the last ten years and several more are currently under threat of being expelled. The programme also examines the threat to the UK. Jihadist groups in North Africa have warned that they will target supporters of the French action in Mali. The British Government is currently seeking to deport a number of Algerian terror suspects and authorities are also investigating reports that a British man has been arrested trying to make his way to join jihadists fighting in Mali. Presenter: Jenny Cuffe Producer: Paul Grant. Does Europe face a new terror threat after military action in Mali? Jenny Cuffe reports. |
Me And My Trolls | 20201006 | 20201011 (R4) | During the pandemic, more and more of our lives have been lived online. But that has also led to a sharp rise in the number of people being targeted by internet trolls. According to one survey, nearly half of women and non binary people reported experiencing online abuse since the beginning of COVID-19 and a third said it had got worse since the pandemic. So who are the people behind these often anonymous attacks? Journalist Sali Hughes has been a target of trolls herself. She sets out to find what motivates them and how they justify their actions. She speaks to other women who have been targeted and hears about the devastating impact it can have on people's lives. With a proposed online harms bill not now due until next year, she investigates what social media and other platforms are doing to tackle the issue and what individuals can do to try to stop the abuse Journalist Sali Hughes goes on a personal journey to discover what motivates online trolls |
Memory On Trial | 20110329 | 20110403 (R4) | Do we understand enough about how memory works to properly assess evidence in sex abuse cases when allegations date back decades? Can juries make decisions based on their common sense in complex cases? The number of so called 'historic abuse cases' making their way through the coruts has increased in recent years following changes in the law that make it easier to bring them to trial and a greater willingness on behalf of victims to come forward. These are among the most difficult cases the justice system handles given the highly sensitive nature of the allegations being made and the often lengthy gap between the events in question and the prosecution. Many cases now turn on one person's word against another and therefore rely heavily on the quality of memory evidence each side can bring. But even the memory experts are divided on how the court process should assess memory evidence. Whist many victims never forget their abuse, some psychologists say people can genuinely block out or forget abuse and then remember it in detail later in life. But others warn of 'false memory syndrome' and claim that in some cases allegations are wrongly based on ideas that have arised during therapy or from third party experiences which complainants adopt as their own. In this week's File on 4, Jackie Long examines concerns from across the criminal justice system - from lawyers who claim the system is creating 'a new genre of miscarriages of justice' because defendants cannot get a fair trial, from victims who say their long-held memories are being branded as false in court and from psychologists who question how well equipped our courts are to consider such evidence. So how much do we know about how memory works? And is the courtroom the right place to get to the truth? Producer Sally Chesworth. Can memory evidence alone deliver justice in sex abuse cases when claims go back decades? |
Mental Health Killings , A Crisis In Care? | 20200915 | 20200920 (R4) | Last month Alex Sartain took a homemade gun and shot his neighbour James Nash dead in his front garden. The 34 year old then fled on his motorbike before he lost control and fatally crashed on a winding tree-lined road. His family had made repeated requests to mental health services for help as they saw his condition deteriorate. But they say no help was forthcoming and days later he killed 42-year-old James, a popular artist and children's author. Alex Sartain's family say the mechanic suffered paranoid schizophrenia and had become acutely unwell in the run-up to the killing. ~File On 4 investigates whether mental health support is always available when people need it most. And reporter Paul Connolly hears concerns that mental health professionals are not always quick enough to act on evidence a person suffering severe mental illness may be intending to harm others - with tragic consequences. Producer Ben Robinson Editor Carl Johnston Are people with severe mental illnesses being failed when they need help most? |
Mental Health Parity: Progress Or Pipe Dream? | 20170704 | 20170709 (R4) | In 2015, reporter Adrian Goldberg investigated the state of England's mental health provision and measured the promise of equal treatment for psychiatric patients against the reality on the wards of psychiatric hospitals and in the community. The notion of 'parity of esteem' has been enshrined in law in 2012, and has been promoted by successive Prime Ministers, but was found in many areas to be sadly lacking. So, two years on what progress has been made? And what more needs to be done to help patients in crisis? Adrian talks to former NHS executive Lord Crisp, nurses and the families of those who have lost their loved ones as a result of failures in the system. Are mental health patients still regarded as equal but somehow different to those with physical ailments. Radio 4's investigative current affairs documentary series. |
Mental Health Profiteers | 20210921 | 20210926 (R4) | Mental health profiteers: The dark world of online anxiety cures'. Jane Deith and Jordan Dunbar investigate the rogue operators exploiting the long wait for mental health services on the NHS. The explosion in unregulated online recovery programmes has led to claims of people paying thousands of pounds for treatment by unqualified practitioners which has made their anxiety worse - not better. File on 4 investigates one company guaranteeing to cure anxiety in children. And we ask - why isn't the law protecting people who seek help online? Mental health profiteers: The dark world of online anxiety 'cures'. |
Mental Health Rehab, The Forgotten Patients | 20220118 | 20220123 (R4) | The NHS is sending patients with the most complex mental health needs to spend months or even years in specialist rehabilitation units, with the promise of helping them to recover. Adam Eley speaks to some patients who say they were sent to units sometimes hours from home, where poor care meant their condition got worse. Some experts say there is not enough oversight of the care provided. Credits: Reporter: Adam Eley Producer: Emma Forde Editor: Nicola Addyman Adam Eley investigates concerns over specialist mental health rehabilitation units. |
Mental Health: The Next Pandemic? | 20200707 | 20200712 (R4) | Lockdown is easing now as worries about physical ill-health recede. But could the stress and anxiety of the last few months lead to a second wave of the epidemic - one centred on the nation's mental health? File on 4 investigates the impact coronavirus has had on those already diagnosed with serious mental illness, and others for whom depression and anxiety are entirely new experiences. The programme looks at provision of mental health services during the crisis, hearing stories of early release from mental health wards and of sudden shifts in how help is provided. Reporter Claire Bolderson examines this quiet revolution in mental health provision prompted by Covid-19 and asks whether the changes are here to stay - and whether services, which many say are already stretched to breaking point, will be able to cope. Reporter: Claire Bolderson Producer: Imogen Walford Editor: Carl Johnston ~File On 4 investigates the impact of coronavirus on the nation's mental health. |
Minding The Gap: Mental Healthcare | 20150519 | 20150524 (R4) | Mental health services are facing a period of unprecedented change. The Department of Health has committed itself to reducing the disparity between spending on physical and mental illness, and a new payment system means services will be funded differently in the future. In the meantime there are concerns that vulnerable patients are dying because of pressures to release them from hospital too quickly, and a failure to provide adequate support in the community. Can a new focus on what has traditionally been dubbed a 'Cinderella service' reverse the impact of years of cuts? Reporter: Adrian Goldberg Producer: Gail Champion. Are vulnerable patients dying after being discharged from mental health care too soon? |
Miscarriage Of Justice | 20140520 | 20140525 (R4) | How effective is the system for investigating miscarriages of justice in England and Wales? Critics say the Criminal Cases Review Commission, the body charged with examining potential wrongful convictions, lacks teeth and needs to be thoroughly reformed. Are they right? Allan Urry examines cases in which prisoners, campaigners and lawyers say the CCRC doesn't do enough for those who continue to protest their innocence. Should the Commission be making more use of the latest DNA techniques to re-examine verdicts which relied on circumstantial evidence? And why did the CCRC twice refuse to pursue the case of a man who spent 17 years in prison for a serious sex crime he didn't commit? Producer: Rob Cave. Righting Wrongs: How effective is the system for investigating miscarriages of justice? |
Missing Evidence | 20220201 | 20220206 (R4) | Michael Cowan investigates the consequences for victims of crime and those accused of offences when crucial evidence goes missing or is lost by police forces. He speaks to a man who says he is trying to clear his name but vital evidence has been lost. Reporter: Michael Cowan Producer: Jim Booth Editor: Nicola Addyman Additional research: Wil Crisp and Sophie Eastaugh If you have been affected by sexual abuse or violence, help and support is available via the BBC Action Line. https://www.BBC.co.uk/programmes/articles/22VVM5LPrf3pjYdKqctmMXn/information-and-support-sexual-abuse-and-violence The consequences for victims and those accused of crimes when police lose evidence. |
Missing Medicines | 20150929 | 20151004 (R4) | Why is the NHS struggling to get hold of some life-saving medicines for its patients? Allan Urry reveals serious concern over the availability of some drugs used in the treatment of cancer and for pain control. Pharmacists and doctors say they face a daily battle to get access to a range of medicines and either end up buying alternatives at a greater cost to the health service or using less effective alternatives which can compromise patient care. So is the Government doing enough to ensure essential supplies are available? And has Whitehall's drive to push down the NHS drugs bill deterred some manufacturers from supplying the UK? Reporter: Allan Urry Producer: Emma Forde. Allan Urry investigates why the NHS is running short of some life-saving medicines. |
Missing Migrant Children | 20230307 | 20230312 (R4) | 200 children have gone missing from hotels used by the Home Office to temporarily house lone asylum seekers. ~File On 4 investigates what's being done to find them and why so many have disappeared. Reporter: Livvy Haydock Producer: Kate West Researcher: Nathan Standley Editor: Carl Johnston Image credit: Ben Stansall\Getty What happened to the 200 migrant children who went missing from hotels in the UK? |
Modern Slavery In The Care Sector | 20230725 | 20230730 (R4) | With the number of potential modern slavery cases in England and Wales at a record level, File on 4 investigates how vulnerable people are being targeted and exploited by organised crime groups for cheap labour. Police estimate that there are tens of thousands of victims of modern slavery in the United Kingdom, being forced to work and live in inhumane conditions with little hope of escape. Investigators whose job it is to protect workers from exploitation reveal to File on 4 that the care industry has become their top priority in the past 18 months. Datshiane Navanayagam finds out why and asks whether the systems in place to support victims are working. Reporter: Datshiane Navanayagam Producers: Matt Pintus and Phil Marzouk Journalism Assistant: Tim Fernley Production Manager: Sarah Payton Digital Producers: Melanie Stewart-Smith and Georgia-Mae Browne Technical Producer: Cameron Ward Editor: Carl Johnston ~File On 4 investigates modern slavery in the UK workplace. |
My Homeless Son | 20181030 | 20181104 (R4) | What happens when you're 17 years old and you suddenly find yourself homeless? As a child, you would expect that social services and other authorities would find you a warm and safe place to live. What you wouldn't expect is to be put somewhere on your own, in the cold, and at risk from serious harm. ~File On 4 tells the shocking story of one teenager's experience when he found himself without a roof over his head. His mum tells the programme he would contact her in the middle of the night, depressed and lonely; `He would text me saying I'm cold, I'm hungry`. She says the fight to get her son the care and support that he needed has left them broken. We explore the impact on both his physical and mental health and ask why he was let down? Is his case one of a kind? Or are other local authorities failing in their duty to provide the right care and support for homeless young people? Reporter: Emma Forde Producer: Matthew Chapman Editor: Gail Champion Photo credit; Photofusion\Getty Are homeless teenagers being let down by the very people meant to protect them? |
Neglect: The Story Of Uk Homecare | 20170228 | 20170305 (R4) | With an ageing population the need for carers to help elderly people stay healthy and safe in their own homes has never been greater. From making a meal, to help getting out of bed or having a shower, domiciliary carers provide a lifeline for hundreds of thousands of elderly and vulnerable people. But what happens when things go wrong and carers inflict serious abuse and neglect on the people who depend on them? Lesley Curwen speaks to the families of elderly people who have been neglected in some cases left for days without proper medication or attention to personal hygiene - with devastating results. Experts say cuts to local authority care funding, unmanageable workloads and poor training are contributing to the toll of abuse. So how can families be assured that their family member is in safe hands? And after File on 4 previously uncovered evidence of widespread sex abuse in care homes, we ask whether enough is being done to protect the most vulnerable people in society in their own homes. Reporter: Lesley Curwen Producer: Ben Robinson. An investigation into the state of home care services in the UK. |
Nhs Contracts: Tender Issues | 20160126 | 20160131 (R4) | ~File On 4 uncovers the story behind the collapse of one of the biggest health contracts ever put out to tender. Last April an NHS consortium of Cambridge University Hospitals and Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust successfully bid to run older peoples' health services. But in December the £800m, five year contract ended without warning, with local commissioners saying only that it was 'no longer financially sustainable.' Jane Deith asks what the failure of the Cambridgeshire contract means for the broader policy of trying to improve NHS services by opening massive contracts to competition between Trusts and the private sector. Reporter: Jane Deith Producer: Ian Muir-Cochrane. ~File On 4 investigates the collapse of one of the NHS's biggest healthcare contracts. |
Nhs Procurement | 20110927 | 20111002 (R4) | The Department of Health wants to slash £1.2 billion off the bill for hospital supplies -- everything from bandages and rubber gloves to operating tables and medical equipment. The planned savings form part of the £20 billion in NHS efficiency savings the Government has pledged to make by 2014. There's plenty of scope for savings. A recent survey found one Hospital Trust bought 177 different types of surgical gloves. Across the NHS, hospitals buy more than 1,700 different kinds of canula. Rationalising this medical shopping list could free-up £500 million a year for investment in patient care, the National Audit Office estimates. But can the increasingly complex NHS procurement system in England deliver the major savings the Government wants to see? Critics say Foundation Hospital Trusts increasingly make their own buying decisions, with little or no national co-ordination. Inside hospitals, managers tasked with purchasing millions of pounds worth of equipment often lack the authority or the support of their superiors to drive through savings. Meanwhile new private sector companies are moving in to take over the purchase and supply of NHS equipment. Will the Government's plans for a more devolved health service help or hinder the drive to save taxpayers' money. Jenny Cuffe investigates. Producer: Andy Denwood. Does the NHS spend too much on bandages and syringes? Jenny Cuffe investigates. |
Nhs Queues | 20120612 | 20120617 (R4) | Hospital waiting times are a key measure of success for the NHS. But do the official figures accurately reflect the reality for patients across the UK? In Scotland the waiting time data has been called into question after a hospital trust was exposed for manipulating the figures in order to hit its targets. There's now an investigation to see if the practice has become widespread. In England the Health Secretary has hailed latest statistics showing a fall in the number of people waiting for treatment as a great achievement. However there's evidence which suggests the pressure to meet waiting list targets is leading to gaming of the system. Jane Deith investigates. Producer Ian Muir-Cochrane. Jane Deith asks if the official figures for hospital waiting times can be trusted. |
Nhs Safety Alerts Ignored? | 20100216 | 20100221 (R4) | Julian O'Halloran asks how many people are being killed by avoidable hospital blunders. |
Nhs: Pricing Patients | 20130702 | 20130707 (R4) | NHS hospitals in England are back in the spotlight with a crisis in A&E and a growing number of cancelled operations. But does the real problem lie in the way the Government is currently funding them? The Department of Health uses a system called Payment by Results to try to ensure better patient care is delivered more efficiently. However Allan Urry hears from hospitals which say they're being treated unfairly and losing millions because of perverse tariffs which short-change them. Critics say the payments system is no longer fit for purpose. So how deep is the financial crisis facing our hospitals? Could budget cuts and the rising costs of admissions push some of them over the edge? PRODUCER: EMMA FORDE EDITOR: DAVID ROSS. With attention on A&E, is there a bigger problem in the way hospitals are funded? |
Nhs: Testing The Market | 20141014 | 20141019 (R4) | In the biggest outsourcing to date, the NHS in England has announced it is tendering a huge £700 million contract for providing NHS cancer care in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, along with another £500million for end of life care in the region. Officials say it will streamline services and provide better treatment while critics say it's the most reckless privatisation yet. BBC Health Editor Hugh Pym investigates.. Producer: Paul Grant. What lies behind plans to outsource NHS cancer care in parts of the Midlands? |
No Place Like Home, The Inside Story Of Supported Living | 20190212 | 20190217 (R4) | Transforming Care is the NHS policy which should be moving learning disabled people out of hospital units and into their own supported homes. But File on 4 asks if the growth in the supported living sector is really providing the happy, safe and secure homes it was meant to. While the NHS has struggled to get its money into the hands of the councils who provide supported living, councils have gone their own way; commissioning services from care companies and homes from private landlords to give learning disabled adults their own front doors and their own independence. But with little in the way of inspection and councils under budgetary constraints, File on 4 asks if the push to build supported living risks repeating the mistakes of the past, with some of the country's most vulnerable people housed in institutions far from public scrutiny. Reporter: Claire Bolderson Producer: Rob Cave Editor: Gail Champion (Photo Credit: MediaNews Group/Orange County Register via Getty Images) ~File On 4 looks at the growth in supported living homes for learning disabled adults. |
No Place Of Safety | 20150303 | Secure children's homes look after some of the country's most vulnerable youngsters. Largely run by local authorities, they provide safe accommodation for children placed on custody grounds or for welfare reasons because they present a danger to themselves or others. The demand for places is rising but the number of beds is falling. So where does that leave those they are meant to cater for? With the government currently conducting a review into the system, File on 4 gets rare access to one home in the Midlands to meet children and staff; and talks to those struggling to find places for children across the UK. Reporter: Fran Abrams Producer: Emma Forde. Fran Abrams reports on the shortage of secure places for children at risk. | |
No Place To Call Home | 20240319 | 20240324 (R4) | As the cost of living crisis continues to increase the strain on families, a record 142,000 children in England are homeless and living in what should be short term temporary accommodation. Children are being consigned to B&Bs and hotels, former office blocks - even shipping containers – some without a bed of their own, living among rats and cockroaches - conditions the children's commissioner has condemned as Dickensian. With the help of young people and their families, File on 4 investigates how temporary accommodation - meant to be a short term safety net - has become a trap some children can't escape. Reporter: Jane Deith Producer: Nicola Dowling Technical Producer: James Beard Production Coordinator: Jordan King Editors: Clare Fordham and Carl Johnston Image: Imgorthand via Getty Images No place to call home: A child's eye view of life in temporary accommodation. No place to call home: As the housing crisis reaches record levels Jane Deith talks to children and families about life in temporary accommodation when there's nowhere else to go. |
Northern Ireland: A Bitter Legacy | 20140610 | 20140615 (R4) | More than 15 years ago, the Good Friday Agreement came into force - bringing an end to three decades of violence in Northern Ireland. At the heart of the peace process is a commitment to bring truth and justice to the bereaved. But many families say they're still waiting. The peace process also promised to bring Protestants and Catholics closer together. But, in some communities still divided by peace walls, there remains a deep mistrust of their neighbours. So have politicians failed in their promise to deal with the legacy of the past? And how much do we really know about the deals that have already been done to protect people from prosecution? BBC correspondent Chris Buckler investigates. Producer: David Lewis. How well is Northern Ireland dealing with the legacy of 30 years of sectarian violence? |
No-win, No-fee Lawyers | 20090630 | 20090705 (R4) | With payouts in clinical negligence cases expected to reach a record 700 million pounds in 2010, Miriam O'Reilly investigates no-win, no-fee lawyers. Some of them are allowed to charge up to 800 pounds per hour in bringing claims against the NHS, enabling many law firms to earn substantially more in fees than their clients receive in damages. Miriam O'Reilly investigates the no-win, no-fee lawyers who bring claims against the NHS. |
Occupational Hazard: The Bus Drivers Who Died From Covid | 20210928 | 20211003 (R4) | During the pandemic, it's been one of the most dangerous occupations in the land, with a death rate similar to that of frontline nurses. Sixty London bus drivers have died of Covid-19, and yet the authorities still have little explanation as to why the disease spread among them in such deadly fashion. Families of the deceased say it was due to poor safety standards and the slow introduction of protective measures. Transport for London say they were just following government guidance. But with bus drivers becoming more vociferous and the death rate too high to ignore, BBC File on 4 tries to uncover the truth behind the shocking statistics. The programme hears from bus drivers across the capital who describe what was really happening on the ground, as well as the families of the deceased, and a TfL insider who alleges systemic problems with health and safety and says a Royal Commission is now needed to get to the bottom of what happened. Reporter: Paul Kenyon Producer: Annabel Deas Editor: Carl Johnston Bus driver deaths during the Covid pandemic. |
Off Track: Network Rail | 20150707 | 20150712 (R4) | Works behind schedule; costs going up; an inquiry into poor performance announced by the industry regulator. It's a depressingly familiar story on our railways. From brand new station escalators at a standstill in Birmingham, to only 10 per cent of trains on time at one of London's busiest stations, even the Chancellor's planned Northern Powerhouse is threatened as line upgrades between Manchester and York are delayed. Allan Urry investigates Network Rail's woes as pressure mounts to deliver £24 billion of infrastructure improvements. Reporter: Allan Urry Producer: Rob Cave. Why is Network Rail struggling with its multibillion-pound plan to upgrade our railways? |
Oil Spill Hangover | 20100720 | As BP's oil spill threatens fishing towns and tourist beaches along America's Gulf coast, Gerry Northam asks if lessons from previous disasters could have prevented the tragedy. When the tanker Exxon Valdez hit a reef in Alaska's Prince William Sound in 1989, the resulting oil spill became the worst in American history. Fisheries were closed and the local economy was undermined. Many said such a disaster should never again befall American coastal communities. Tankers were obliged to be constructed with a protective second skin, and the law was changed to give polluters the clear responsibility to pay for oil spills. More than a hundred million gallons of oil have poured into the Gulf and a growing chorus of critics is asking why more preparations were not made for such a tragedy? Gerry Northam reports. Producer Andy Denwood Editor David Ross. Could lessons from past disasters have prevented BP's oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico? | |
Oiling Putin's War? | 20230502 | 20230507 (R4) | ~File On 4 investigates the secretive world of oil shipping, dark fleets and camouflaged cargos. Sanctions were supposed to hit President Putin in the pocket, weakening his military capabilities. But have they simply created new markets and new millionaires? And why can a company in Essex enable Russian oil to move around the world without attracting the attention of the authorities? Reporter: Paul Kenyon Producer: Jo Casserly Editor: Carl Johnston |
On The Critical List? Britain's Ageing Hospitals | 20180220 | 20180225 (R4) | Can the NHS afford to run and replace its ageing hospitals? Many hospitals are crumbling and have huge backlogs of required maintenance work. It affects patients - sometimes life-saving operations are being cancelled due to lack of capacity - or practical problems such as leaks or faulty air conditioning. Money from capital budgets has been used to plug gaps in day to day spending - meaning an ever growing black hole of building work is backing up. So where to get the money? The Government is adopting plans which would encourage NHS trusts to sell off spare land and try to get money for new buildings from the commercial sector. But private finance initiatives are no longer an option. Trust deficits make borrowing difficult and hospital leaders say its difficult to get access to the money they need - like wading through treacle, one says - because of perverse rules and regulations. So how should we pay for much needed life support for our hospitals? Reporter: Lesley Curwen Producer: Rob Cave Editor: Gail Champion. Can the NHS afford to run and replace its ageing hospitals? Lesley Curwen investigates. |
On Trial: Protestors Versus The Law | 20240702 | 20240703 (R4) | New laws aimed at preventing protestors causing disruption, more severe punishments and fewer defences in court have led some to question if the freedom to protest is coming under threat. Josephine Casserly investigates the growing volume of prosecutions against environmental protestors and examines how the criminal justice system is dealing with such cases. She also examines the increasing use of private injunctions by corporations and public authorities to restrict protests at locations such as public roads and oil terminals. They say the orders are necessary to prevent disruption caused by tactics including walking slowly down roads and blocking entrances to businesses, but lawyers acting for protestors say they amount to a 'privatised system of justice. Reporter: Josephine Casserly Producer: Tom Wall Production Coordinators: Ellie Dover & Tim Fernley Editor: Carl Johnston Is the freedom to protest under threat from new laws and tougher treatment in the courts? New laws aimed at preventing protestors causing disruption and tougher treatment in the courts are leading some to question if the freedom to protest is under threat. Current affairs documentary series investigating major issues at home and abroad. |
On Whose Authority? | 20190604 | 20190609 (R4) | The law says decisions about care for people who can not decide for themselves should be done collaboratively with the person's best interests always at heart. So why do family members, feeling ignored and even intimidated, often find themselves in open conflict with councils and care providers? In Scotland and Northern Ireland issues of who makes decisions about the best interests of a person who can't make that decision themselves is covered by different laws. In practice, when the family or friends of a learning disabled person in Scotland don't agree with how their loved-one is being cared for or treated, the law makes it easier for the dispute to go to court, with the parents or siblings more likely to be given guardianship. More than 2,700 families exercised this right in 2018-19. Northern Ireland is waiting for its own legislation to come into force, who makes decisions for learning disabled adults is governed by common law and is a more informal process. Campaigners say poor training, lack of understanding of the law and shrinking budgets mean too often the legitimate concerns about care for people with learning disabilities, autism or mental health problems are being ignored. Claire Bolderson investigates. Producer: Rob Cave Editor: Gail Champion Photo credit: Katarzyna Bialasiewicz Who really decides what care is best for those who can't make their own decisions? |
Online Grooming | 20170613 | 20170618 (R4) | ~File On 4 reveals the true scale of child sexual grooming and abuse online and asks whether social media companies are doing enough to prevent paedophiles from targeting children. The investigation follows the rape and murder of 15-year-old Kayleigh Haywood from Leicestershire who was groomed online before meeting her killer in person. File on 4 reveals the number of children being groomed online and who are subsequently abused is increasing. Child abuse experts say some social media platforms have ignored repeated calls for better child protection measures and Parliament's Home Affairs Select Committee has accused them of putting profit before safety. ~File On 4 investigates the true scale of child sexual grooming on social media. |
Open Borders? | 20110712 | 20110717 (R4) | The Border Agency is charged with preventing drugs, weapons and would-be illegal immigrants from getting to the UK. But three years after being created, the Agency has been accused by MPs of failing to enforce immigration rules. Faced with cuts to its budget and the loss of around one-fifth of its staff over the next four years, the Agency is looking to new technology to improve its effectiveness. But with delays to the e-borders project and problems with existing computer systems, Morland Sanders investigates whether the strategy will work. Facing massive job cuts, will the Border Agency be able to protect the UK's frontiers? |
Opioids: A Painful Prescription? | 20190514 | 20190519 (R4) | Opioids like morphine, tramadol and fentanyl are super-strength painkillers. They're often prescribed by doctors for chronic pain, despite little evidence to say they're helpful in it's treatment. Now, there is a growing recognition that over-prescribing of these drugs has led to addiction, harm or even death. Reporter Anna Cavell examines what's led to the increase in the prescribing of these powerful painkillers in the absence of good evidence to say they work in the long term - and investigates whether cynical marketing tactics by pharmaceutical companies could have helped to fuel the UK market. As a government review into the growing problem of prescription drug addiction in England hits delays, we hear from those caught up in opioid fuelled addiction, as well as those tasked with helping people hooked on painkillers to come off them safely. Producer: Alys Harte Editor: Gail Champion Photo credit: Getty images Did marketing help fuel the UK's opioid addiction 'crisis'? |
Organ Shortages | 20091124 | 20091129 (R4) | Gerry Northam examines the problems being posed by the shortage of organs for transplants. |
Organs Failure? | 20110322 | 20110327 (R4) | Is the NHS doing enough to combat the crisis in organ donations for transplants? Allan Urry examines the challenge of ensuring more suitable donors are available at a time when those waiting for life saving operations are increasing. Surgeons are reporting worse outcomes for some patients, as poorer quality organs have to be used because of chronic shortages. This comes despite a big drive by the Department of Health to improve availability. But, are opportunities to recover more organs being missed because of the way doctors manage the care of patients who are close to death? Producer: Paul Grant. Is the NHS doing enough to combat the crisis in organ donations? Allan Urry investigates. |
Outclassed: The Kids Excluded From School | 20170131 | 20170221 (R4) 20170226 (R4) | Over 300,000 children were excluded from school in England and Wales last year - almost 6 thousand of them permanently. Many of these children will end up in 'alternative provision', sometimes known as pupil referral units (PRUs) - schools for kids that the mainstream can't handle. But five years on from the Taylor Review, a report that found 'a flawed system' that failed to provide good education and accountability for 'some of the most vulnerable children in the country' - has anything really changed? ~File On 4 hears allegations of a system under pressure; of illegal exclusions, 'missing kids' and how some schools are controversially manipulating league tables through 'managed moves'. We also hear from whistle-blowers from one school who claim an overburdened system and a rise of referrals of kids with extreme and complex needs have led to an increase in the use of physical restraint to manage escalating violent behaviour in classrooms. Reporter: Adrian Goldberg Producer: Alys Harte. An investigation into standards in pupil referral units for children excluded from school. |
Pandora Papers: From Bribery To The British High Street | 20211005 | 20211010 (R4) | Amongst the millions of documents released in the Pandora Papers' leak of offshore financial information are a number of documents that one family business would rather have remained hidden. Together with The Guardian newspaper, File on 4 follows the trail of millions of pounds tainted by bribery and corruption. Piecing together key documents from the leak reveals how earnings from Unaoil - a company involved in the world's biggest bribery scandal' - were invested into UK property on high streets as far apart as London and Aberdeen, Reading and the North East. Why does the UK remain a go-to destination for some of the world's most tainted money? And why does it take a leak for the truth to be revealed about who's really invested in some of the country's prime property? The Pandora Papers is an investigation led by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. The documents have been shared with the Guardian, the BBC and other media partners around the world. Further reporting on other stories arising from the Pandora Papers leak are available online: https://www.BBC.co.uk/news/world-58780561 Reporter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Anna Meisel Additional Production: Kate West Editor: Gail Champion How money made from the 'world's biggest bribery scandal' ended up in UK property. |
Paradise Papers: Profits From The Poor | 20171107 | 20171112 (R4) | What does the leak of files from offshore law firm Appleby reveal about how money is transferred out of the developing world and into the pockets of the rich? Using leaked documents obtained by German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung and working with the Consortium of Investigative Journalists, File on 4 delves into the records to find out how the rich use secretive tax regimes and corporate structures to divert money via the offshore jurisdiction of Mauritius. Producer: Anna Meisel Reporter: David Grossman Editor: Gail Champion. An investigation into international offshore finance. |
Paralympic Sport, Fair Play? | 20170919 | 20170924 (R4) | The ethos of the paralympic movement is fair and equal competition. At its heart is the classification system designed to ensure people of equal impairment compete against each other. The International Paralympic Committee has warned that some athletes are exaggerating their disability - known as intentional misrepresentation - in order to get into a more favourable class. It said this was in 'grave danger of undermining the credibility of the sport. ~File On 4 has spoken to athletes, parents and coaches who say they too are concerned the system is being abused. They claim less disabled athletes are being brought into sports in the quest for medals. Some athletes have decided to quit competing altogether as they no longer believe there is a level playing field. They claim more disabled athletes are being squeezed out of para competition. The first ever athletes forum for the paralympic movement was held this summer. It too says there is a lack of trust about classification among competitors and called for greater transparency saying athletes should have the ability to raise concerns about fellow competitors. Is doubt about the current system threatening trust in the paralympic movement? Reporter: Jane Deith Producer: Paul Grant. Are some countries cheating the paralympic classification system in the pursuit of medals? |
Paralympics , Gaming The System? | 20180918 | 20180923 (R4) | Last year, File on 4 investigated whether some athletes and coaches game the paralympic classification system in order to win medals. We heard allegations that some competitors had gone to astonishing lengths such as taping up their arms to make their disability appear worse. A parliamentary select committee hearing followed into the way British paralympic athletes are classified and questions were raised over whether the system was fit for purpose. In this programme, we examine further claims of athletes exaggerating or even faking a disability to get ahead in para sports. We look at the case of an athlete where concerns have been raised after they competed in several different disability classifications. A paralympic gold medallist tells File on 4 of his concerns that young athletes are being manipulated by coaches to think they are more disabled than they actually are in order to get them classified into a more favourable category. The programme also hears claims that UK athletes cheered a competitor from a rival country because they believed one of their teammates was cheating. Such suspicions have grown in recent years, the programme is told. Reporter Simon Cox speaks to a former international classifier - the people responsible for ensuring athletes are placed in the right category - who reveals how it is possible for classifiers to be fooled and the pressure placed on them to put athletes in the most disabled categories. The concerns raised by the programme come as a report by the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport select committee into sports governance which has examined classification in para sports is due to be published. Reporter: Simon Cox Producer: Paul Grant Editor: Gail Champion Are some paralympic athletes gaming the classification system to win medals? |
Paying The Price, Private Hospitals | 20181009 | 20181014 (R4) | For many NHS patients, being referred for private treatment can sound quite appealing; you'll often be seen and treated quickly, with a more luxurious menu option to peruse in the comfort of your private room. But when it comes to the medical treatment, are patients getting the same level of care? Are private patients just as safe as those in the NHS? And when things do go wrong, how willing is the private sector to admit to mistakes? In this programme we hear from families whose loved ones died following surgery in a private hospital that was paid for by the NHS. The deaths reveal how some private hospitals have no emergency cover for when things go wrong. To secure a contract with the NHS, private providers must deliver services to an equal standard of care. In this episode, File on 4 asks whether the NHS can be sure its patients are safe in private hospitals. Photo credit - Getty Creative Images. Reporter: Alistair Jackson Producer: Kate West Editor: Gail Champion ~File On 4 investigates standards of care in some UK private hospitals. |
Pensions Crisis | 20100309 | 20100314 (R4) | Five years ago the government promised to provide a safety net for when pension funds went bust, but this new scheme is already more than a billion pounds in deficit. Fran Abrams investigates allegations that some companies are simply dumping their obligations and leaving the Pensions Protection Fund - and in some cases the taxpayer - to pick up the bill. Investigating allegations that some companies are failing their pension fund obligations. |
Petrol Prices | 20130625 | 20130630 (R4) | The way in which oil is traded on commodities markets is coming under close scrutiny. Last month, officers of the European Commission raided the London offices of BP and Shell along with Norway's Statoil company and the leading price reporting agency Platts. They said they were investigating claims of collusion to manipulate the prices of oil and biofuels on the international markets. A leading city insider tells File On 4 that the price-reporting mechanism for oil is 'wide open to abuse So are petrol prices being kept artificially high by hidden forces beyond the normal workings of supply and demand ? Gerry Northam investigates and asks whether British regulators are proving slow to recognise the potential problem. Producer: David Lewis. Are petrol prices manipulated to keep them artificially high? |
Pfi Profits | 20110614 | 20110619 (R4) | For two decades, the Private Finance Initiative has been a controversial way of building new hospitals, schools, roads and prisons. Well over £200bn of taxpayers' money has been committed to the companies managing these projects. The coalition government describes some PFI contracts as 'ghastly' and wants some of this cash back. One cabinet minister says 'the people on the other side must have been laughing all the way to the bank'. But, while public services are facing cuts, PFI payments are guaranteed under watertight contracts. So experts say the government can win only small amounts in rebates. Much of the money has already gone offshore. Huge profits have been made by selling and reselling many contracts in a secretive 'secondary market' - with none of the proceeds returning to the taxpayer. Gerry Northam investigates gaps in HM Treasury's knowledge of this trade and asks if PFI represents value for public money. Producer: Rob Cave. Have taxpayers lost billions of pounds in the secretive resale of PFI contracts? |
Planning Rows | 20111011 | 20111016 (R4) | With the Government's controversial reforms under fire from countryside campaigners, Allan Urry investigates radical changes to the planning system. Ministers insist more housing is needed, fuelling fears of greenfield sites being bulldozed. But as they begin to slim down bureaucracy to speed up development, how many more homes are actually getting built? Under the localism agenda, communities are being told they'll get much more say about who builds what in their neighbourhood. But what happens if it's a waste incinerator or a power station? The programme reveals how local objections are likely to been given much less consideration. Presenter Allan Urry Producer: Rob Cave. Allan Urry investigates the Government's radical changes to the planning system. |
Police Complaints: A Crisis Of Confidence | 20230411 | 20230416 (R4) | Britain's biggest police force says there are hundreds of rogue officers amongst its ranks. It's now The Met's job to root them out, with dozens of staff diverted away from organised crime and counter-terrorism units to work in its professional standards department. But can the police be trusted to investigate themselves? ~File On 4 can reveal how an officer working for a force outside of London, who had multiple rape allegations against him, was given a job in the professional standards department, investigating complaints made against colleagues. We've discovered how complaints to police forces across England and Wales are being regularly dismissed, with many people resorting to legal action to get accountability and winning damages from the police in court. ~File On 4 also reveals how recent reforms to the complaints process have done little to improve accountability and restore public confidence. Reporter: Hayley Mortimer Producer: Tom Wall Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Editor: Carl Johnston How complaints against police forces in England and Wales are regularly dismissed. |
Police Complaints: A Fair Cop? | 20150714 | 20150719 (R4) | Complaints against the police are running at a record high. The vast majority, nine out of ten, are rejected from the start. But when complainants appeal to the Independent Police Complaints Commission, one in 2 cases is overturned. Others - disgruntled with the way they've been treated by the police - sue the force. File on 4 hears from people who've been battling for years to pursue a complaint and who claim the process is unfairly weighted in favour of the police. In the Queen's Speech the Government confirmed its plans to overhaul the complaints system in order to restore public confidence. As part of the reform, Police and Crime Commissioners could be able to decide if they want to handle allegations against their local forces. The Commissioners themselves are divided on whether they want this additional role and critics say they would not have the resources to do it effectively. So just what recourse do you have when you feel you've been dealt with unfairly by the police? And will the Home Office proposals make any difference? Claire Savage investigates. Presenter: Claire Savage Producer: David Lewis. Good cop? Bad cop? Reforming the police complaints process. Presented by Claire Savage. |
Police Firepower | 20160517 | 20160522 (R4) | Police forces in England and Wales are to get an additional fifteen hundred firearms officers to help protect the public from terrorism and organised crime. Most of the new officers will be trained within the next two years after the Prime Minister, David Cameron, set aside £143m to boost the country's armed response capability. But is it enough to meet the challenges they face? The number of firearms officers fell from nearly seven thousand in 2009/10 to under six thousand in 2013/14. And, despite the extra funding, the Police Federation is concerned the new firearms teams will have to come from existing staff. They say that will deplete the number of officers available for other duties. BBC Home Affairs Correspondent Danny Shaw investigates - and he examines growing unease at the way in which those who discharge their weapons are dealt with. Concern has been highlighted by the suspension and arrest of the officer suspected of shooting dead Jermaine Baker in Wood Green in December. Police representatives tell the programme that while they expect their actions to be investigated, people will not come forward to train as firearms officers if they believe they will be treated like a criminal who fires an illegal weapon. The Independent Police Complaints Commission acknowledges that firearms officers work in challenging circumstances but maintains that police shootings resulting in death or serious injury should be independently investigated. So, can the system for holding them to account be improved? Reporter: Danny Shaw Producer: Ian Muir-Cochrane. Do the plans to recruit more armed police go far enough? Danny Shaw investigates. |
Police Protection? The Murder Of Kevin Nunes | 20171017 | 20171022 (R4) | Fifteen years ago, promising young footballer Kevin Nunes was shot dead on a country lane in Staffordshire. Five men were convicted of his killing, and jailed for life. But just four years later, their convictions were quashed, following concerns about the way police handled a key prosecution witness. The Court of Appeal Judge said it appeared to be 'a serious perversion of the course of justice,' and an investigation was launched into misconduct claims against four of the UK's most senior officers. Now, as the report into the police investigation is finally released, File on 4 speaks to those at the centre of the saga. Will the family of Kevin Nunes will ever get the justice they seek, and what does the case tell us about police transparency and accountability? Reporter: Phil Mackie Producer: Laura Harmes. Questions remain about alleged police misconduct in a 15-year-old murder investigation. |
Police Racism | 20120605 | 20120610 (R4) | Why are the police still accused of unfairly treating black and Asian officers? |
Police Restraint | 20120131 | 20120205 (R4) | Inquests in England are increasingly hearing a new term to explain deaths in police custody: Excited Delirium. It's a diagnosis with origins in the United States, where it has been associated with consumption of massive doses of cocaine. People with ED are said to possess super-human strength and to be largely impervious to pain. They behave bizarrely, sometimes destructively.They often seem paranoid and frequently resist arrest. As police struggle to restrain them they overheat and die. But critics -- including some British Pathologists -- point out that Excited Delirium is not recognised by the World Health Organisation and that there is a lack of valid research. Civil liberties organisations fear that the diagnosis might be employed to excuse improper use of restraint techniques by police. For 'File on 4' Angus Stickler has travelled to the cocaine capital of the United States, Miami, where police and scientists are attempting to define and deal with the controversial condition. And in England he speaks to families whose loved ones have died after being restrained by the police. Is Excited Delirium well-enough understood to be used by courts? And just how many people are dying while being restrained -- either in custody or while being arrested? Are the official figures reliable? Producer: Andy Denwood. Angus Stickler investigates deaths in police custody. |
Policing The Police | 20170516 | 20170521 (R4) | From the Hillsborough Inquest to Plebgate, from the revelations about undercover officers to the shooting of Mark Duggan, the last few years have been as controversial as any in the history of British policing. The government has introduced a range of new measures to try and make the police service more accountable. These have included the strengthening of the Independent Police Complaints Commission, measures to crack down on officers retiring when under investigation, and a new openness surrounding police disciplinary hearings. But have these new ideas really worked or is there, as some claim, real resistance to accountability? ~File On 4 investigates a series of cases of alleged wrongdoing brought against the police by both members of the public and by serving officers. We look at some of the tactics police forces still appear to be using to avoid scrutiny, and we ask : despite the new measures, how much has really changed? Reporter : Mark Gregory Producer :Sally Chesworth Editor: Gail Champion. Are the police really open to scrutiny when people complain about misconduct? |
Potters Bar, Ukraine's Stolen Billions And The Eurovision Connection | 20180206 | 20180211 (R4) | UK companies are being used to launder dirty money as new transparency rules are flouted. One, registered in a Hertfordshire commuter town, helped the circle of Ukraine's disgraced ex-president profit from last year's Eurovision Song Contest, a File on 4 investigation has found. Billions of pounds of dirty money is alleged to have passed through opaque UK companies in recent years, over 100 of them registered at the same Potters Bar address. Tim Whewell follows the trail of one company linked to the regime of former Ukrainian president Viktor Yanukovych, who fled the country for Russia four years ago after anti-corruption protests in Kiev's Maidan square. Can new transparency requirements for British firms help find the people really behind the company? Presenter: Tim Whewell Producer: Simon Maybin Editor: Gail Champion. |
Power Games | 20181113 | 20181118 (R4) | Northern Ireland has some of the highest rates in Europe of pollution linked to agricultural waste - the by-product of intensive pig, poultry and cattle farming. One solution is to turn the waste into energy through green recycling schemes that attract multi-million pound subsidies. But is the system being gamed' by industry? An investigation by BBC Radio 4's File on 4 programme has found that some waste-to-energy schemes are receiving public cash despite operating without planning approval. Their aim was to reduce harmful emissions and pollution, but there are mounting concerns that some schemes have exacerbated environmental harm. The energy regulator OFGEM is responsible for administering the waste-to-energy schemes. Are they doing enough to protect the public's money and has yet another green subsidy effectively back-fired? Reporter: Lesley Curwen Producer: David Lewis Editor: Gail Champion Are companies 'gaming' the system of green subsidies designed to reduce farm pollution? |
Practices Under Pressure | 20140527 | 20140601 (R4) | GPs are under pressure to do more. The Government wants surgeries to open seven days a week and the Labour Party say they'll ensure people get appointments within 48 hours. But, at the same time, there are warnings that the family doctor service in England is on the brink of extinction because of a 'perfect storm' of funding cuts and growing demand. Jenny Cuffe meets two doctors - one in rural Yorkshire, who is about to lose a quarter of his funding and does not know how he can keep his surgery doors open and the other struggling to cope with the volume of patients in her busy urban practice in Salford. One in seven primary care practices in England reports having to make redundancies as a result of the Government spending squeeze. Recruitment for new GPs is still to hit Government targets and more doctors are leaving general practice through retirement or to work abroad. So are the promises of greater access to your GP really deliverable? Is the family doctor an endangered species? Jenny Cuffe reports. |
Preserving Jobs For British Workers | 20090602 | 20090607 (R4) | Jenny Cuffe asks if the policy of preserving jobs for British workers is being undermined. |
Preventing Tb | 20170606 | 20170611 (R4) | Around 1.5 million people die from tuberculosis each year. The Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine was introduced nearly a hundred years ago, but is only partially effective against the bacterium that causes TB. With so many infected and the BCG vaccine only 60% effective, a race is on to develop a better way of preventing TB. Hundreds of millions of public and philanthropic money has been poured into this quest. For researchers, the competition for this pot of money is fierce. A new vaccine called MVA85A developed by scientists in Oxford as a booster to BCG was heralded as a possible solution. But when it was trialed on nearly 3000 infants in South Africa it didn't offer any further significant protection. ~File On 4 investigates the outcome of tests carried out on monkeys and asks to what extent animal trials are used to help decide whether to go on to test in humans. How do regulators and ethics committees decide to give their approval and who is looking out for the people who volunteer to take part? Reporter: Deborah Cohen Producer: Paul Grant. TB remains a killer disease, how effective are attempts to find a better vaccine? |
Prison Violence | 20150113 | 20150118 (R4) | With serious assaults at a record high, File on 4 investigates the growing tension within Britain's prisons. In the first of a new series, BBC Home Affairs correspondent Danny Shaw meets recently released prisoners and families of those inside to hear about their safety fears. And he talks to the Prison Officers Association about their concerns for the frontline members who they say are facing unprecedented levels of pressure and danger in a 'chaotic' system. The Howard League for Penal Reform has used Ministry of Justice figures to calculate that around 40% of prison officer jobs have been cut - leaving inmates spending longer locked in their cells and less time preparing for their release. Lawyers and campaigners tell File on 4 that overcrowding and gang activity are adding to a 'toxic mix' of problems leading to instability and tension. Twenty five years after the prison system was shaken by a series of riots centring on Strangeways in Manchester, is a new crisis starting to unfold? Reporter: Danny Shaw Producer: Sally Chesworth. With serious assaults at a record high, is there a crisis unfolding in the prison system? |
Prison, Drugs And Debts, Who's Paying The Price? | 20180717 | 20180729 (R4) | ~File On 4 goes inside Altcourse Prison in Liverpool to meet the staff trying to stem the supply of drugs into the jail. Perimeter security has been tightened, searches have been stepped up and new technology is being trialled as officers deal with the influx of new psychoactive substances, such as spice, and more 'traditional' banned drugs, including cannabis and heroin. More widely, across England and Wales, the availability of drugs in prisons is posing huge challenges to their stability, as well as the health and safety of inmates and officers. Some prisoners are so desperate to feed their addiction they secrete drugs inside their bodies to by-pass security; others persuade or pressurise friends and family to bring them in. The demand for contraband is so great that a lucrative trade has developed behind bars, co-ordinated by criminal gangs who use threats, violence and exploitation. In some cases, vulnerable people are coerced into smuggling drugs, acting as 'mules', at great risk to themselves. Offenders who've been let out on licence have been known deliberately to breach the conditions of their release, so they can take supplies into jail when they're sent back there. Some drug-dependent prisoners rack up massive debts which their families are expected to pay off. The BBC's Home Affairs Correspondent Danny Shaw meets those who've got caught up in the sophisticated markets in operation inside the system and reaching out into communities. The Government has promised to tackle the problem by improving intelligence, investing in new serious and organised crime teams and separating ringleaders from other prisoners. But ministers are also being urged to improve provision for those who are in the grip of addiction by offering treatment, rehabilitation and opportunities when they leave custody. Reporter: Danny Shaw Producer: Sally Chesworth Editor: Gail Champion. Prison, drugs and debts - who's paying the price of the thriving drug trade in our jails? |
Private Equity: Winners And Losers | 20141104 | 20141109 (R4) | Recent high-profile collapses of high street names such as Comet, Phones4U and other companies have left thousands of people out of work and have cost the taxpayer millions in statutory redundancy payments and unpaid taxes. This week File on 4 goes behind the headlines to examine the role of the companies' private equity backers. Were these failed businesses which were bound to have to close? Or might they have survived for longer under different ownership? Fran Abrams investigates. Producer: Emma Forde. Did private equity takeovers play a role in the collapse of some major high street names? |
Private Finance Initiative | 20090623 | 20090628 (R4) | The government's flagship policy for public investment, the Private Finance Initiative, has always relied on big loans from banks. But now, as lenders demand far more for their money, Michael Robinson investigates disturbing increases in the cost of building our schools, hospitals and roads. In today's economic climate, does PFI represent value for money for hard-pressed taxpayers? Michael Robinson asks if the Private Finance Initiative represents value for money. |
Probation In Peril | 20230404 | 20230409 (R4) | The Probation Service is meant to protect the public by monitoring released prisoners and offenders on community sentences - helping them to stay out of trouble and rebuild their lives. But a series of catastrophic failures have led to the murders of two women who were killed by men who should have been monitored more closely. ~File On 4 analyses the case of Damien Bendall who killed his pregnant partner Terri Harris and three children in 2021 while on probation. The Chief Inspector of Probation Justin Russell has said Bendall's supervision `fell far below the quality that the public has a right to expect`. The programme hears from the families of Bendall's victims and from those probation officers on the front line who say the service is at breaking point. Reporter: Danny Shaw Producer: Fergus Hewison Assistant Producer: Patrick Kiteley Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Editor: Carl Johnston Is the Probation Service doing enough to protect the public and help offenders? |
Protecting The Vulnerable | 20100727 | 20100801 (R4) | A special court system is supposed to protect the interests of the vulnerable and the elderly. It's appointed thousands of 'deputies' - or guardians - to ensure their money is properly managed. The system was reformed three years ago - but have the changes worked? There have been allegations the system is slow, bureaucratic and open to abuse. In some cases lawyers are appointed to oversee people's financial arrangements - and families claim they charge excessive fees. In other cases, it's a relative who's appointed as a deputy - but are there adequate safeguards to ensure they're not misappropriating the money? Fran Abrams investigates cases where the system has left some vulnerable people worse off. Producer: Samantha Fenwick. How well does the Court of Protection safeguard the finances of the old and vulnerable? |
Public Protection | 20090707 | 20090712 (R4) | Following a series of blunders by the justice authorities, who left a dangerous criminal free to torture and murder two French students in London, Allan Urry asks whether government ministers can still justify their claim that Britain's system of public protection from violent offenders and sex abusers is among the best in the world. Is Britain's system of public protection from violent offenders still among the best? |
Public, Private And Profitable | 20121023 | 20121028 (R4) | The midnight collapse of the Government's plans for the West Coast main railway line once again raises questions about the outsourcing of public services to private providers. Public bodies of all kinds now face massive budget cuts and are under pressure to deliver savings. As a result, across the country, public services of all kinds are now up for tender in the hope they can be delivered more cheaply by the private sector. With relatively straightforward things such as refuse collection, there's general agreement that experience to date shows outsourcing can work, and can save the taxpayer money. But with complex services in education, health or transport, the picture is far less clear. Michael Robinson investigates the outsourcing of these complex public services and uncovers another, as yet unreported, example of huge profits being earned by major private companies at taxpayers' expense. Producer: Rob Cave. After the West Coast rail debacle, Michael Robinson investigates government outsourcing. |
Punished For Being Mentally Ill | 20230314 | 20230319 (R4) | Suicide or attempted suicide is not a criminal offence. But, as Adrian Goldberg discovers, mentally ill people are still being punished for attempts to take their own lives. They can be charged with 'intentionally or recklessly causing a public nuisance,' 'railway trespass' or 'obstruction of highways.' File on 4 hears from people who believe they should have been given care and compassion rather than face criminalisation. The programme also investigates concerns over a scheme called Serenity Integrated Mentoring, or SIM, which was adopted by many NHS mental health trusts in England. It was designed to enable police and hospitals to cope with patients who regularly call the emergency services or arrive at hospitals having self-harmed, attempted suicide, or threatened to take their own life. When tagged under the system, patients can be denied care, prevented from seeing doctors or psychiatrists, and sent home. Reporter: Adrian Goldberg Producer: Vicky Carter Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards Production Manager: Sarah Payton Production Coordinators: Tim Fernley and Jordan King Editor: Carl Johnston Details of organisations offering information and support with mental health or feelings of despair are available at: www.BBC.co.uk/actionline People experiencing mental health crisis facing more harm from criminal justice system. |
Racism In The Police | 20200630 | 20200705 (R4) | With the words I can't breathe' reverberating around the world, the Black Lives Matter movement in the UK has put the issue of racial justice at the top of the political agenda. Twenty-one years after the Macpherson inquiry into the murder of Stephen Lawrence labelled the Metropolitan Police institutionally racist', File on 4 explores concerns black, Asian and ethnic minority officers still face discrimination in the service. Police forces in England and Wales are in the middle of an unprecedented recruitment drive, to add 20,000 new officers by March 2023, providing an opportunity to improve diversity. There is work to do, as Home Office figures for 2019, seen for the first time by File on 4, reveal many specialist positions continue to be dominated by white officers. There were only two ethnic minority officers among 184 in the mounted police; 15 out of 734 dog handlers; and 11 among 426 detectives in special investigations teams. ~File On 4 asks whether the way black and Asian officers are currently treated is likely to be a barrier to attracting suitable candidates and if the changes will affect representation at senior ranks, where there are very few ethnic minority officers. The programme reveals data, collected by the National Black Police Association, that ethnic minority officers represent 14% of all officers under misconduct investigation and over 20% of inquiries that had progressed to a misconduct meeting or gross misconduct hearing, despite representing less than 7% of all officers. File on 4 hears from ex police inspector Mark Dias who was put under surveillance illegally by Cleveland Police and found to be the victim of racial discrimination. Reporter: Danny Shaw Producer: Oliver Newlan Development Producer: Jane Andrews Editor: Carl Johnston Racism in the police: do the UK police treat black and ethnic minority officers fairly? |
Raf Safety Record | 20090714 | 20090719 (R4) | Angus Stickler examines the safety record of the RAF in recent conflicts. |
Recoiling The Arab Spring | 20121016 | 20121021 (R4) | The ultra-conservative Salafist movement, which is said to be the fastest growing branch of Islam, has been blamed for being behind many of the recent violent protests over an anti-Muslim film which appeared on the internet. Jenny Cuffe investigates the spread of Salafism across the countries of the Arab Spring. She asks what threat it poses to democracy in the whole region and also examines concerns in Europe that Salafists now represent a significant security risk. Presenter: Jenny Cuffe Producer: Ian Muir-Cochrane. What threat does a growing fundamentalist branch of Islam pose to Arab Spring countries? |
Rental Health: The Social Housing Perfect Storm? | 20230321 | 20230326 (R4) | Social housing providers say they are under more financial pressure than ever before. The sector has warned long-term Government funding cuts and the cost of improving homes to meet new fire safety laws, have now been compounded by high inflation, to create a perfect storm of pressure. But is it vulnerable tenants who are paying the price? ~File On 4 investigates record complaints about social housing providers and hears allegations of 'degrading' treatment by some social housing providers. Reporter Iona Bain also uncovers failings by a housing provider which led to raw sewage flooding into residents' flats. Reporter: Iona Bain Producer: Ben Robinson Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Editor: Clare Fordham An investigation uncovers allegations of degrading treatment by social housing providers. |
Repeat Offenders | 20140218 | 20140223 (R4) | Probation staff are currently being told where they will be working under a radical reform of the service. The government is transferring the management of low and medium risk offenders to private companies and high risk cases will be handled by a national probation service. The Justice Secretary, Chris Grayling, says the reforms are necessary to cut reoffending rates and save money which will be ploughed back into providing support to all prisoners who have served less than 12 months. But opponents claim the reforms are being rushed in and will put the public at risk. Last month, it was announced the plans have been delayed. They were due to come into effect in May but the start date has been put back until July. The new private providers will only be paid in full if they achieve a reduction in reoffending. The programme speaks to one of the companies bidding for the contracts which says payment by results will lead to innovation and visits a prison which says it is already achieving success in a pilot scheme working with prisoners serving under 12 months. But Home Affairs correspondent Danny Shaw also talks to probation staff about their fears for the future of partnership working and hears why some of them are threatening to quit the service. Producer: Paul Grant. Are government reforms to probation on track and will they work? Danny Shaw investigates. |
Revolving Doors | 20110726 | 20110731 (R4) | Each year scores of senior civil servants and ex-government ministers quit Whitehall for higher-paid posts in business. Companies in the fields of defence, health, energy and transport are particularly keen to recruit experienced politicians, policy makers and managers with close links to the wheels of power and procurement. This is the so-called 'revolving door' between government and the world of commerce and industry. In recent years a free flow of talent both ways has been encouraged in the name of both efficiency and better communication between Whitehall and the wider world. But Government orders for goods and services are worth billions of £'s every year, and critics say the system is vulnerable to abuse and conflict of interest. For 'File on 4' Julian O'Halloran examines the effectiveness of the independent committee whose job it is to police the divide and protect the public interest. Producer: Andy Denwood. Is there a conflict of interest when public servants take private sector jobs? |
Reynhard Sinaga: Britain's Most Prolific Rapist | 20201103 | 20201108 (R4) | In January, Reynhard Sinaga was convicted of 159 sexual offences against 48 different men over the course of four trials. But according to police, there's evidence he abused more than 200 men whilst living as a student in Manchester. He preyed on vulnerable young men, drugged them until they were unconscious and raped them while recording most of his abuse on his phone. Most of his victims woke up with no memory of what had been done to them - oblivious until the police turned up at their doors to explain the horrific truth. As police renew their efforts to identify more of Sinaga's victims, File on 4 has been given exclusive access to those at the centre of the police investigation and hears from many of those who knew him and who have never spoken before. The programme hears how how the softly spoken and highly intelligent student played Good Samaritan to lure victims to his flat in central Manchester - then plied them with drinks laced with the date rape drug GHB. How one man fought off Sinaga and called police, triggering the biggest rape inquiry in British history. The programme also hears about the moment the police realised they were dealing with a monster when they accessed his phone and discovered a catalogue of videos he'd made of himself abusing his unconscious victims. Police then painstakingly trawled through hours and hours of video and numerous trophies found in Sinaga's flat to help identify his victims. Having never shown any remorse for his crimes, the Court of Appeal is now reviewing Sinaga's sentence. So will he become the UK's first non-homicide criminal to die behind bars? If you have information about this case you believe may be of interest to police you can contact them here: https://mipp.police.uk/operation/06GMP19V24-PO2 If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this programme you can access support via the following organisations: St Mary's Rape Crisis Centre in Manchester provides a range of support and services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to people of all ages who have been sexually abused, assaulted or raped, whether this happened in the past or more recently. https://www.stmaryscentre.org Safeline provides support and counselling for survivors of sexual abuse or rape. Phone: 0808 8005005 (Male support) www.safeline.org.uk Survivors UK run the National Male Survivors Online Helpline and Webchat Service for men who have experienced sexual abuse either as a child or an adult. www.survivorsuk.org The Survivors Trust provides support and signposting for women, men and children who are survivors of rape, sexual violence or childhood sexual abuse. Phone: 0808 801 0818 www.thesurvivorstrust.org Samaritans is available for anyone struggling to cope and provide a safe place to talk 24 hours a day. Phone: 116 123 Email: jo@samaritans.org www.samaritans.org BBC Action Line: Sexual abuse and violence: https://www.BBC.co.uk/programmes/articles/22VVM5LPrf3pjYdKqctmMXn/information-and-support-sexual-abuse-and-violence How a 999 call from a Manchester flat led to the discovery of over 200 male rape victims. |
Rigged Markets? | 20140923 | 20140928 (R4) | Is a new scandal about to engulf the UK's banking industry? Was LIBOR just the tip of the iceberg? Regulators around the world are looking at the way important financial benchmarks have been calculated. These are used to set the value of pension funds, investments and international contracts worth billions of pounds. Financial regulators in the UK, across Europe and in the US are investigating whether the benchmarks have been rigged to increase bank profits - and to short change their customers. Banks are already receiving big fines over the LIBOR interest rate scandal but the focus is now shifting to the way prices in the foreign exchange, gold and interest rate swap markets have been set. Reporter Lesley Curwen assesses the evidence that banks have got together to manipulate the markets and asks what it means for the reputation of London as a global financial sector and public confidence in banking. Producer: David Lewis. Is a scandal bigger than Libor brewing for the banks? Did they rig other key markets? |
Right-wing Extremists | 20090922 | 20090927 (R4) | Allan Urry assesses the threat of attacks by white, racist, right-wing extremists. |
Roblox: A Dangerous Game? | 20221025 | 20221030 (R4) | Before Covid the US gaming platform Roblox was one of many online games children played. Following lockdown and millions of children isolating at home, the company now has a market value of $22bn and is the most popular gaming platform for British children. But is the platform doing all it can to protect them? Concerns have been raised about financial exploitation, grooming, gambling and access to inappropriate content. Reporter: Hayley Hassall Producer: Jim Booth Editor: Carl Johnston Is the gaming platform Roblox doing enough to stop children being exploited and groomed? |
Rochdale Abuse: Failed Victims? | 20130326 | 20130331 (R4) | The high profile child sex abuse case in Rochdale last summer - in which nine men were jailed for more than 70 years for grooming underage girls - has been defined as a watershed moment in how the authorities deal with this kind of abuse. But were there crucial failings? In an exclusive interview for File on 4, one of the police officers involved in the case claims that flaws in the way it was handled meant important witness evidence was dropped and some abusers were never prosecuted - leaving a new generation of girls potentially at risk and victims seriously let down. Jane Deith also hears complaints that witnesses were left without adequate support to help them re-build their lives. Earlier this month the Director of Public Prosecutions, Keir Starmer, published new guidelines for police and prosecutors in such cases. But have they come too late for many victims? Producer: Sally Chesworth Reporter: Jane Deith. A police whistleblower claims last year's Rochdale child grooming case failed victims. |
Rogue Hauliers | 20170307 | 20170312 (R4) | In January a haulage boss and his mechanic were jailed for a tipper truck crash which killed four people. The brakes on six of the truck's eight wheels weren't working properly. The expert examiner from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency said Grittenham Haulage's vehicle would have been taken off the road if it had been stopped in a roadside check. But are there sufficient roadside and on-site checks to detect safety breaches? ~File On 4 uncovers cases where unsafe vehicles and drivers were allowed to remain on the roads, despite known concerns. So does the current system of regulation and punishment go far enough to deter rogue operators who drive some of the most dangerous vehicles on our roads? Reporter: Jane Deith Producer: David Lewis. An investigation into how lethal lorries posing a danger to the public remain on the roads |
Russian Riches | 20130205 | 20130210 (R4) | Surrey police are probing the mystery death of a Russian exile who was helping to locate millions of dollars missing from the Russian treasury. City experts claim London is one of the routes for those laundering the proceeds of Russian crime. Britain is also now a destination of choice for many wealthy Russians. But how much do we know about some of those who choose to settle here? Internationally, there's tension between Washington and Moscow over the Magnitsky Act, in which the US introduced new sanctions for Russian officials suspected of corruption, freezing their assets and barring their entry to America. Prominent MPs are arguing for similar measures here. So is Britain too lax in cases where suspicions are raised? Reporter: Julian O'Halloran Producer: David Lewis. London is home for many rich Russians. But how much are they vetted on arrival? |
School Inspections | 20120626 | 20120701 (R4) | Ofsted has a new, hard-line chief inspector and a new, tougher inspection regime - and in the past few months that has led to a spike in the number of schools deemed inadequate. Predictably, there has been a corresponding wave of anger in schools - with a growing number taking to the courts to challenge the inspectors' views? So are the inspectors really up to the job? And who inspects the inspectors? Fran Abrams investigates. Producer: Rob Cave. Why are more schools failing their Ofsted inspections? Fran Abrams investigates. |
Scout's Honour? | 20230613 | 20230618 (R4) | Nearly half a million young people in the UK are members of the Scout Association. The organisation employs 143,000 adult volunteers and leads the way in nurturing a love of the outdoors and providing practical skills which will allow members to make a positive contribution to society. But not everyone has been enriched by the experience. File on 4 has learned that in the last ten years the Scout Association has paid out £6m to scouts who were abused. Reporter Hayley Hassall hears from some female abuse survivors who say they were ignored when they reported abuse. The Scout Movement says it is 'deeply sorry' for anyone who has suffered abuse. Now there are calls for the organsiation to overhaul its safeguarding policy. John Cameron, the former director of ChildLine and head of child protection operations at the NSPCC, tells File on 4 that voluntary organisations would benefit from an independent body overseeing safeguarding practices. Reporter: Hayley Hassall Producer: Paul Grant Researcher: Shona Elliott Technical Producer: Kelly Young Digital Producer: Melanie Stewart-Smith Journalism Assistant: Tim Fernley Editor: Carl Johnston Child abuse in the Scout Association. |
Searching Questions | 20220524 | 20220529 (R4) | Why are a disproportionate number of black children being strip searched? File on 4 hears from teenagers taken in for a strippy' so often, it's become part of life. The strip search of Child Q', a fifteen year old black girl in a London school, was headline news, sparking outrage and official inquiries. Her teachers claimed she smelled of cannabis, but no drugs were ever found. A safeguarding report said racism a likely influencing factor in Child Q's ordeal. The Metropolitan police admitted the strip search should never have happened. But for some black girls and boys, humiliating - and sometimes unlawful - strip searches are nothing new. ~File On 4 hears from young people who've been strip searched so often they've lost count - in their bedrooms, in children's homes, and in the back of police vans. We know children from ethnic minorities are being disproportionately strip searched. ~File On 4 can reveal that in the last five years, on average fifty children a week were strip searched in England and Wales - a disproportionate number of them from ethnic minorities. Reporter: Jane Deith Producer: Hayley Mortimer Journalism Assistant: Tim Fernley Production Co-ordinator: Sarah Payton Editor: Carl Johnston Why are a disproportionate number of black children being strip-searched? |
Second Class Citizens: The Post Office It Scandal | 20200211 | 20200216 (R4) 20240109 (R4) 20240114 (R4) | The story of the Post Office IT scandal has gained new momentum in the wake of an ITV dramatisation about how dozens of subpostmasters were falsely accused of theft and fraud and hauled through the courts. After 20 years, campaigners won a legal battle to have their cases reconsidered and in 2019 the Post Office lost a High Court battle and agreed to pay nearly £60 million to more than 550 of its staff. Some ended up in prison, others bankrupt - many more have been left with their health and reputations in ruins. A public inquiry is ongoing, but many victims are still fighting to have their convictions overturned or to secure full compensation. In this episode of File on 4 - updated since its first broadcast in February 2020 - Hayley Hassall meets some of those whose lives were destroyed. She returns to the Post Office in the East Riding seaside town of Bridlington with former subpostmaster Lee Castleton. There are still buckets and spades in the otherwise empty shop - a business he'd taken on after deciding to give up his job as a stockbroker for a better quality of life. She hears from Tracy Felstead who was convicted of fraud and sent to Holloway Prison when she was just 19 years old. One whistleblower reveals how he warned the Post Office the Horizon system was unsafe and, in his first ever interview, forensic accountant Ron Warmington reveals how he struggled to get straight answers from Post Office management after he was brought in to carry out an investigation. Reporter: Hayley Hassall Producers: Mick Tucker and Nick Wallis Editor: Carl Johnston First broadcast 4 years ago, this episode of File on 4 hears from the subpostmasters accused of fraud as well as whistleblowers and the man brought in to investigate the scandal. ~File On 4 tells the story behind the killing of schoolgirl Brianna Ghey. In December last year, the Post Office agreed to pay nearly £60 million to more than 550 of its workers and former workers, after losing a High Court battle. It was a key victory for sub-postmasters after a 20-year fight for justice. Many hold the Post Office responsible for destroying their lives by falsely accusing them of theft and fraud. Some ended up in prison, others completely bankrupt - and many have been left with their health and reputations in ruins. ~File On 4 investigates how the Horizon computer system, brought in to Post Office branches in 2000, could have led to accounting shortfalls at branches - and asks why for years the Post Office denied this was possible, instead pursuing its own sub-postmasters for the money, which may have never been missing in the first place. How the Post Office IT fiasco destroyed the lives and careers of hundreds of postmasters. |
Second-class Patients? | 20121106 | 20121111 (R4) | Britain has 1.5 million people with learning difficulties, and the number is growing. Campaigners say the health service is struggling to cope: the number of specialist nurses is falling, and though extra support is supposed to be available for this vulnerable group, hospitals and other health facilities often struggle even to identify them. Families say their relatives have been left to die in pain - and in some cases people who were not dying have had 'do not resuscitate' orders placed on their notes without being told. The learning disabled are more likely to be ill, more likely to be obese or underweight and more likely to die prematurely. And with health service cuts starting to bite, are things set to get worse? Fran Abrams reports. Producer: Gail Champion. Are people with learning disabilities dying unnecessarily because of poor care in the NHS? |
Secrecy And Surveillance | 20130924 | 20130929 (R4) | Recent revelations about secret mass surveillance programmes have raised fears about potential abuses of individual privacy in favour of national security. With requests to intercept personal communications data on the rise, just who is collecting the information and for what purpose? Even local authorities can now use surveillance powers to track employees and monitor the activities of residents. So what rights do people have when they feel they have been unfairly targeted? Jenny Chryss examines the role of the Investigatory Powers Tribunal - the little known body that considers complaints from those who've been under surveillance by the state. Critics talk of an 'Orwellian system' in which cases are shrouded in too much secrecy. The Tribunal usually sits in private, with claimants barred from hearing evidence and with little detailed explanation of its decisions. So where should the balance lie between openness and effective oversight? Producer: Gail Champion. What rights do people have when they feel they've been unfairly put under surveillance? |
Secret Justice | 20120619 | 20120624 (R4) | Ministers want to extend secret hearings to Britain's civil courts - so judges can deal with the increasing number of cases involving the intelligence services. Justice Secretary Ken Clarke says it is the only way that judges can hear the testimony of spies working for MI5, MI6 or GCHQ. Getting them to give evidence in open court is not an option, he says. A small number of courts already hold secret sessions to consider appeals from individuals facing deportation on evidence compiled by the security services. But how well does the system work? File on 4 hears evidence from lawyers who are concerned about the quality of some of the testimony given behind closed doors. And the programme has learned of a growing number of closed justice cases being heard in Employment Tribunals where people are claiming they were sacked because they pose a risk to national security. Because the Tribunals are hearing evidence in secret, the claimants are unable to get further details of why they were dismissed. Gerry Northam explores the operation of secret justice in British courts and asks whether its extension to more cases would be in the national interest. Producer: David Lewis. Are plans for secrecy in some civil courts necessary to protect national security? |
Security Threat: Sham Training Courses Risk Public Safety | 20231003 | 20231008 (R4) | The Manchester Arena terrorist attack in 2017 left 22 people dead and more than a thousand injured. The subsequent inquiry found security arrangements were lacking with some security staff admitting they were untrained in vital procedures. File on 4 goes undercover to reveal how, despite assurances the industry has tightened up procedures, some training companies are offering 'fast-track' courses which don't comply with regulations. the programme also reveals how candidates are told to falsifty time sheets and are given the answers to a final examination to ensure they pass and can subsequently work in an industry which is supposed to keep the public safe. Producer: Kate West Reporter: Greg McKenzie Assistant producer: Nick Holland Editor: Carl Johnston Security guard training courses risk public safety. |
Separated Siblings | 20200114 | 20200119 (R4) | When Sophia was growing up, she had an imaginary friend. It was only later she learned that the little girl she played with in her mind was not imaginary at all, but a distant memory of an older sister. The two had been separated when they were in care, and contact between them was soon lost. It might sound like a Dickensian tale of misery, but it's not rare for siblings to be forced apart whilst in the UK's care system. In England alone, there are currently more than 78,000 children living in foster care or children's homes. Many have brothers and sisters, but keeping them together is difficult. ~File On 4 hears from the children and young people who have been split up, and hear how it has affected the rest of their lives. When they can't be placed together, experts agree that robust plans should be put in place to maintain contact between them. So why is it not happening? If one child goes on to be adopted, maintaining contact with their brothers and sisters is far from straight forward. And for the families who do adopt sibling groups, there's concern that they're not getting the right help to support those relationships. Some experts argue that keeping siblings together shouldn't always be the default intervention. For some, placing them apart might be in their best interests but are the views of children always being taken into account when these decisions are being made and is the importance of sibling relationships sometimes being overlooked? Reporter - Paul Kenyon Producer - Emma Forde Editor - Carl Johnston The brothers and sisters separated by the care system |
Sewage Sludge | 20200204 | 20200209 (R4) | For decades sewage sludge from waste treatment works has been used as a fertiliser on agricultural land. But File on 4 hears serious concerns over whether it could pose a risk to human health and whether tougher regulation is needed. The practice is perfectly legal. Treated sewage known as 'sludge' or 'biosolids' provides a rich and cost-effective source of nutrients for soil which is then used to grow crops. The process saves more than three and a half million tonnes of human waste going into landfill or being incinerated. But reporter Claire Bolderson hears from scientists worried about the chemicals, plastics and medicines that could be damaging soil and making their way into the food chain. And she investigates the process of regulating the treatment, storage and use of sludge, amid claims from experts that rules are outdated and oversight lacking. Recycling sewage as fertiliser fits today's environmental agenda for waste. But do we know enough about what the potential impact of the practice might be in the future? Reporter: Claire Bolderson Producer: Ben Robinson Editor: Carl Johnston An investigation into the use of sewage sludge as fertiliser on agricultural land. |
Sex Attacks In Hospitals | 20230523 | 20230528 (R4) | When you go to hospital you expect to be safe. But File on 4 has discovered that many patients and staff who are victims of sex attacks say not enough is done to deal with the perpetrators - and hospital managers ignore complaints. The programme examines startling data on the number of reported cases and asks what's being done to prevent sexual assaults in hospitals. The Department of Health says sexual violence or misconduct of any kind is unacceptable and has no place in the NHS. However, they also say there is still a long way to go in tackling sexual assaults to deliver justice for victims. Reporter: Fergus Hewison Producer: Matthew Pintus Digital Producer: Melanie Stewart-Smith Journalism Assistant: Tim Fernley Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Editor: Carl Johnston ~File On 4 investigates if enough is being done to keep hospital patients and staff safe. |
Sex Education: Too Much Too Young? | 20230509 | 20230514 (R4) | ~File On 4 investigates claims that children are being taught graphic and age-inappropriate material as part of their Relationship and Sex Education. The government has brought forward a review into how sex education is taught in schools in England following concerns that children across the country are being taught lessons on oral sex, how to choke your partner safely and 72 genders as part of their RSE. We speak to teachers, parents, children and sex education providers to try and discover what's really happening in schools and where there are instances of bad practice, we ask if they're part of a systemic national problem in sex education or extreme examples used to push a political moral agenda. Reporter: Kate West Producer: Hayley Mortimer Researcher: Shona Elliott Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Editor: Carl Johnston Archive credits: This Morning, Good Morning Britain, TalkTV, GB News, Life Begins, Huntley Film Archives What is being taught in our schools about sex? |
Sex Offenders Fleeing Abroad | 20190910 | 20190915 (R4) | Every year thousands of offenders are convicted of sexual offences and subjected to a monitoring regime designed to minimise their risk to the public. But critics claim the system for managing offenders in England and Wales is flawed and allows offenders to slip through the net and flee abroad. File on 4 has discovered there are 559 sex offenders who are currently missing. One of them is Daniel Erickson-Hull - a self-styled pastor who was convicted of downloading hundreds of indecent images of children. On his release from prison he was subject to an order banning him from having unsupervised contact with children, unsupervised use of the internet and from travelling abroad without informing the authorities. But he ignored the restrictions and fled abroad. File on 4 tracks Erickson-Hull down to Bulgaria where he's immersed himself in a Roma community and posted videos of himself with dozens of children online. File on 4 asks whether the laws designed to keep the public safe from convicted sex offenders are fit for purpose. Reporter: Paul Kenyon Producer: Ben Robinson Development Producer, Oliver Newlan Editor: Carl Johnston How some runaway sex offenders are evading justice |
Sexual Abuse In Schools | 20210525 | 20210530 (R4) | In 2016 the House of Common's Women and Equalities Committee published a report into sexual harassment and abuse between pupils in British schools. In concluded that the scale and impact was such that urgent action was needed by the government. Five years on, more than 16,000 young people - mostly women - have posted harrowing accounts of their experiences on the Everyone's Invited website. It's prompted the government to instruct Ofcom to carry out a review of peer on peer sexual abuse in our schools and colleges. They've also funded the launch of a new NSPCCC hotline so that those affected can report what's happened to them. In this investigation Hayley Hassall assesses how common this abuse is, whether schools are brushing the problem under the carpet, to what extent the availability of online porn plays a role and whether teachers are getting enough training. Details of organisations offering information and support with sexual abuse are available at: https://www.BBC.co.uk/programmes/articles/22VVM5LPrf3pjYdKqctmMXn/information-and-support-sexual-abuse-and-violence Reporter: Hayley Hassall Producer: Jim Booth Editor: Carl Johnston Peer on peer sexual harassment and abuse in Britain's schools and colleges. |
Shaken Babies? | 20110215 | 20110220 (R4) | Each year, around 250 parents and carers are accused of killing or injuring children by shaking them or inflicting some other form of head injury. But an acrimonious scientific debate over the theory behind so-called Shaken Baby Syndrome, has turned toxic among the expert witnesses whose evidence is so critical in determining guilt or innocence. Andrew Hosken examines claims of a campaign of dirty tricks to discredit those who question the orthodoxy and hears calls from one of the country's leading pathologists for an inquiry. Producer Paul Grant. Andrew Hosken examines claims of a dirty tricks campaign over Shaken Baby Syndrome. |
Sheltered From Harm | 20180123 | 20180128 (R4) | There are more than half a million people living in sheltered housing, accommodation that offers additional support to the elderly, disabled or vulnerable. But currently, in England, these schemes aren't overseen by the independent regulator of health and social care the Care Quality Commission and councils aren't required to record cases of abuse and neglect in sheltered housing. It is leading to growing concerns that many vulnerable residents are hidden away and left to suffer without the authorities ever knowing there is a problem. With a move to care being provided via direct payments, its likely the demand for sheltered accommodation will grow. But there's concern that new developments are being shelved due to ongoing uncertainty over funding. ~File On 4 speaks to people who have been taken advantage of while living in sheltered accommodation, who feel they were sitting ducks for people looking to prey on the vulnerable. And when things do go wrong, with an absence of regulation are there sufficient mechanisms to prevent the same things from happening again? Reporter: Brigitte Scheffer Producer: Ben Robinson Editor: Gail Champion. Who protects the residents of sheltered housing schemes from abuse or neglect? |
Shipping's Dirty Secret | 20210302 | 20210307 (R4) | The shipping industry is worth millions to the British economy and we depend on it for most of our goods. File on 4 lifts the lid on the dangerous and polluting world of shipbreaking and investigates why ships once owned by UK companies end their lives on beaches in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh. Editor, Maggie Latham Producer, Jim Booth Reporter, Kate West ~File On 4 lifts the lid on the dangerous and polluting world of international shipbreaking |
Shoplifting And Organised Crime | 20231212 | 20231217 (R4) | ~File On 4 reveals how hundreds of vulnerable women and children are being trafficked to the UK by organised crime gangs to work as shoplifters. The victims are forced to live in squalor in overcrowded houses in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Investigators have discovered there are 154 known members of one gang which is making millions for the gangmasters from Eastern Europe. High street stores have reported a 25 per cent increase in the number of shoplifting incidents over the last year. Reporter: Datshiane Navanayagam Producers: Holly Clemens and Kate West Editor: Carl Johnston The organised crime gangs who use trafficked women and children for shoplifting across UK. ~File On 4 investigates the organised crime groups using trafficked women and children to steal millions of pounds worth of goods from high street stores across the UK. |
Short-selling Students? | 20140603 | 20140608 (R4) | With fees costing as much as £9,000 a year, universities must operate in an increasingly cut-throat market place. At a time when budgets in some institutions are being stretched, students are demanding more for their money. Against a backdrop of rising complaints, the new Competition and Markets authority is considering whether to launch an investigation. So are students getting what they pay for? And when they don't, can they get the problem fixed in a timely manner? Why are some students taking to the courts to try to get redress? Fran Abrams has been examining the universities' record. Which of them have seen the biggest rise in student concerns, and which have managed to buck the trend? Producer: Emma Forde. Are students getting a fair deal in the cut-throat world of higher education? |
Sibling Sexual Abuse: The Last Taboo? | 20220614 | 20220619 (R4) | With exclusive access to research - the first of its kind - reporter Livvy Haydock investigates what could be the most common form of sexual abuse that happens within families: sibling sexual abuse. She speaks to families struggling to get help for this distressing form of abuse and those struggling to come to terms with a child harming another child - and fighting to repair their family. As she will find out, a lack of official data makes it difficult to know for sure the true scale of the problem but some experts suggest 1.3 million people in the UK may have been affected by it. And she will ask if a reluctance to accept what's going on in front of us, could mean that when people look for help, often, it's not there. This is a story about sexual abuse at the very heart of the family; a story that may challenge what you think you know about the risk children may face in our homes. Reporter: Livvy Haydock Producer: Alys Harte Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Journalism Assistant: Tim Fernley Production Manager: Sarah Payton Editor: Nicola Addyman Livvy Haydock explores the challenges and complexities of sibling sexual abuse. |
Sick Of School | 20150317 | 20150322 (R4) | Is the pressure on teachers reaching crisis point? Record numbers are leaving the classroom and thousands of teachers recently responded to the Government's workload survey to say they were struggling with their workload. They blamed the pressure of Ofsted inspections and pressure from school management. Official absence statistics are silent on the causes of sick leave - but now File on 4 reveals new figures on the number of teachers off long-term because of stress. Jane Deith hears from those who say they were pushed to the brink by the pressure - some suicidal and others hospitalized or diagnosed with depression. Teaching has always involved long hours and heavy workloads but, with schools' performance open to unprecedented scrutiny, some education academics argue that the 'surveillance culture' is now seriously harming teacher's health and their ability to provide high quality education. Are they right? How alarmed should we be about the mental well-being of our children's teachers? Reporter: Jane Deith Producer: Matt Precey. Why are so many teachers off work with stress? Jane Deith investigates. |
Sick Of Waiting: The Children Struggling To Get Operations On The Nhs | 20240618 | 20240619 (R4) | In the headlines about NHS waiting lists, children don't often get a mention. Yet hundreds of thousands are waiting to start hospital for treatment. Jane Deith investigates the reasons for the gap between adult and paediatric surgery. She hears from children whose conditions are deteriorating, some of whom could be left inoperable if they aren't operated on soon. NHS leaders admit long waits can have life-long consequences for young people's development and say hospitals are working hard to tackle the backlog. But surgeons and doctors warn that in the race to cut waiting lists, children risk being left behind. Reporter: Jane Deith Producer: Alys Harte Technical producer: Craig Boardman Production co-ordinator: Tim Fernley Editor: Carl Johnston The children waiting months or years for urgent surgery on the NHS. The children waiting years for urgent operations on the NHS. File on 4 meets young patients whose health conditions are deteriorating while they wait for surgery. Current affairs documentary series investigating major issues at home and abroad. |
Slimming Groups And Eating Disorders | 20240409 | 20240410 (R4) | Slimming World is the leading diet organisation in the UK. It has 700,000 members and, at a time when obesity is spiralling in the UK, it has helped millions lose weight. It has contracts with the NHS and local government. If you meet the criteria, your doctor can sign you up for free. But could the Slimming World diet be encouraging disordered eating by some members? File on 4 hears from people who believe that Slimming World has seriously damaged their health and destroyed their relationship with food. Reporter: Josephine Casserly Producer: Immy Rhodes Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Production Coordinator: Tim Fernley Editor: Carl Johnston Image Credit: Kseniya Ovchinnikova\Getty Could leading weight loss company Slimming World be fuelling eating disorders? Josephine Casserly investigates whether weight loss organisation Slimming World is triggering and exacerbating eating disorders among some of its members. Current affairs documentary series investigating major issues at home and abroad. |
Something In The Air? | 20200225 | 20200301 (R4) | In January 2020, a British Airways flight from Athens to London issued a 'Mayday' emergency call when the pilot flying the plane became incapacitated during a 'fume event'. The airline industry does not reveal how often fume events happen, but according to some estimates they occur every day on airlines worldwide.. They are thought to be caused by air containing chemicals from engine oil passing into the cabin. Pilots and cabin crew say that sudden fume events and long term low level exposure to toxic cabin air can make them seriously ill. In some cases they claim exposure to affected air has caused premature death. The industry insists that serious leaks of toxic gas into cockpits and cabins are relatively very rare, given the number of flights each day. And that no causal link between toxic cabin air and health problems has yet been proven. But the industry faces multiple court cases this year. On File on 4 one representative of the airline industry agrees to face questions on fume events, claims of a lack of transparency and claims that the health of hundreds of pilots, cabin crew and frequent fliers is being affected. We reveal confidential airline and Coroners' reports in connection with fume events and so called 'aerotoxicity'. We hear about pilots and crew who say they've been poisoned by toxic cabin air. And from scientists about research being done on potential links between airline cabin contamination and neurological health. Presenter: Mike Powell Producer: Paul Waters Editor: Andrew Smith How safe is the air inside airline cabins? |
Something In The Water: The Secrets Of Camp Lejeune | 20240730 | 20240731 (R4) | Camp Lejeune is a vast US Marine Corps base in North Carolina. It's been in operation since the 1940s and covers a massive 240 square miles. But for years it hid a secret. For decades, its water supply was contaminated with harmful chemicals found to increase the risk of some cancers. It's estimated that one million people might have been exposed to the toxic water. But it wasn't just American personnel who were based at Camp Lejeune. Soldiers from all over the world - including from the UK - also spent time there on training exercises and exchange programmes. Emma Forde hears from the British veterans and their families who lived and worked on the base and have since suffered serious health problems or seen loved ones die from conditions associated with exposure to the water. But despite a compensation scheme for victims being widely reported in the US, there are concerns that those from the UK are still unaware of the serious health risks they were exposed to. And time is running out. Reporter: Emma Forde Producer: Andrew Picken Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Production Coordinators: Ellie Dover & Tim Fernley Editor: Carl Johnston Image: Royal Marine Captain Joe House and Captain Jonathan Lear handing over to each other at Camp Lejeune. File on 4 investigates the Camp Lejeune water contamination scandal. Award-winning current affairs documentary series File on 4 investigates the toxic water contamination at a US military base and asks if enough is being done to trace the British veterans and their families who lived there. " Camp Lejeune is a vast US Marine Corps base in North Carolina. It's been in operation since the 1940s and covers a massive 240 square miles. But for years it hid a secret. For decades, its water supply was contaminated with harmful chemicals found to increase the risk of some cancers. It's estimated that one million people might have been exposed to the toxic water. But it wasn't just American personnel who were based at Camp Lejeune. Soldiers from all over the world - including from the UK - also spent time there on training exercises and exchange programmes. Emma Forde hears from the British veterans and their families who lived and worked on the base and have since suffered serious health problems or seen loved ones die from conditions associated with exposure to the water. But despite a compensation scheme for victims being widely reported in the US, there are concerns that those from the UK are still unaware of the serious health risks they were exposed to. And time is running out. Reporter: Emma Forde Producer: Andrew Picken Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Production Coordinators: Ellie Dover & Tim Fernley Editor: Carl Johnston Image: Royal Marine Captain Joe House and Captain Jonathan Lear handing over to each other at Camp Lejeune. File on 4 investigates the Camp Lejeune water contamination scandal. Award-winning current affairs documentary series File on 4 investigates the toxic water contamination at a US military base and asks if enough is being done to trace the British veterans and their families who lived there. " Camp Lejeune is a vast US Marine Corps base in North Carolina. It's been in operation since the 1940s and covers a massive 240 square miles. But for years it hid a secret. For decades, its water supply was contaminated with harmful chemicals found to increase the risk of some cancers. It's estimated that one million people might have been exposed to the toxic water. But it wasn't just American personnel who were based at Camp Lejeune. Soldiers from all over the world - including from the UK - also spent time there on training exercises and exchange programmes. Emma Forde hears from the British veterans and their families who lived and worked on the base and have since suffered serious health problems or seen loved ones die from conditions associated with exposure to the water. But despite a compensation scheme for victims being widely reported in the US, there are concerns that those from the UK are still unaware of the serious health risks they were exposed to. And time is running out. Reporter: Emma Forde Producer: Andrew Picken Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Production Coordinators: Ellie Dover & Tim Fernley Editor: Carl Johnston Image: Royal Marine Captain Joe House and Captain Jonathan Lear handing over to each other at Camp Lejeune. File on 4 investigates the Camp Lejeune water contamination scandal. Award-winning current affairs documentary series File on 4 investigates the toxic water contamination at a US military base and asks if enough is being done to trace the British veterans and their families who lived there. |
Speaking Up, Whistleblowing In The Nhs | 20170207 | 20170212 (R4) | Two years ago the first independent report into the treatment of whistle-blowers in the NHS was published. The Freedom to Speak Up report was commissioned by the government amid concerns not enough progress had been made to create a more open culture within the NHS following the Mid Staffs inquiry which unearthed the poor care and high mortality rates at Stafford Hospital. The report - which considered evidence from 600 individuals and 43 organisations across the country included chilling accounts of doctors, nurses and healthcare professionals whose lives and careers had been destroyed after trying to raise legitimate concerns about patient safety. Whistle-blowers said they'd been left financially ruined, blacklisted and sent to the brink of suicide after being branded snitches and trouble-makers. Revealing a continuing culture of secrecy with trusts demonising whistle-blowers instead of welcoming and investigating their concerns, it was hoped the report would herald a new era of openness and accountability. ~File On 4 investigates what has happened since and asks whether measures put in place to protect those speaking out about patient safety are fit for purpose. Doctors who have spoken up since say they've faced the same catalogue of bullying and abuse by their employers, and in some cases, the focus remains on protecting reputations of Trusts, rather than addressing poor care. So is the culture changing quickly enough? Reporter: Simon Cox Producer: Nicola Dowling. How are whistleblowers who report unsafe care in the NHS treated? |
Special Guardianships: Keeping Things In The Family? | 20160301 | 20160306 (R4) | Special guardianship orders are a way of giving legal status to those - usually grandparents, aunts and uncles, brothers and sisters - who come forward to care for children when their parents can't. SGOs were designed to let children grow up with family, instead of in care - once a relative is granted special guardianship, the council steps backs and the guardian can raise the child without social services interfering. The use of special guardianship orders has been rising-last year more than 3,000 of them were made. But special guardianship breaks down more often - and more quickly - than adoption. And in some cases children have been neglected, abused, or murdered. The family court service Cafcass and the Association of Directors of Children's Services have warned that weak assessments of the risks of family placements are a 'real risk' for children. The government has re-written the law on how special guardians are assessed. But with court deadlines and growing pressure on social workers and budgets, will it make children safer? Jane Deith investigates. Producer: Emma Forde. Placing children with relatives is an alternative to adoption. But does it always work? |
Squalid Prisons, Who's To Blame? | 20180313 | 20180318 (R4) | The collapse of the construction giant Carillion has focused attention on the contracts it had with the Government, one of which involved cleaning, landscaping and maintenance at 50 prisons in the south of England. The prison contract came into effect in 2015, but within months major problems started to emerge, as prisoners, staff and inspectors reported long delays in getting cells, windows and toilets repaired. The Ministry of Justice acknowledged that Carillion was under-performing and ordered the company to pay back millions of pounds - but its contract was allowed to continue until the work was taken in-house after the firm folded last month. There've also been growing concerns about another contractor, Amey, which has a maintenance contract at 61 prisons in the north of England, the Midlands and Wales. Amey's work came under the spotlight at Liverpool Jail which was described in a recent report as 'squalid', with prisoners living in damp, dirty and cockroach-infested conditions. The contracts, which are worth £200 million over five years, were intended to deliver savings of £115 million. But Ministers have admitted that the Government won't achieve the economies it wanted to because it under-estimated how much it costs to maintain jails. They say the new government-owned facilities management company which has taken on Carillion's work will secure 'significant improvements' and have pledged to strengthen the management and oversight of its contract with Amey to deliver a better service. But the Prison Officers Association says the failure to maintain prisons properly has fuelled frustration behind bars, contributed to increasing levels of violence and endangered the health and welfare of inmates. ~File On 4 explores the background to the prisons maintenance contracts, the impact out-sourcing has had on prisoners, staff and the public and whether the solution lies in greater state control, an end to private sector involvement or more investment. Reporter: Danny Shaw Producer: Sally Chesworth Editor: Gail Champion. Have private contracts for prison maintenance made our jails more dangerous? |
Steeling For The Future | 20190702 | 20190707 (R4) | With British Steel going into liquidation last month File on 4 investigates the story behind the collapse of the iconic British brand. Reporting from the frontline in Scunthorpe, the programme hears from those in the town fearful of a future that could see 5000 workers losing their jobs and tens of thousands more indirectly. The programme also looks at Greybull Capital - the investment company that bought British Steel for £1 from its previous owner Tata. But Greybull have a chequered history when it comes to their success in revitalising distressed concerns. File on 4 also asks if the government is doing enough to create a level playing field where British Steel can compete in a highly competitive world market. Photo credit: AFP/Getty Images. Could more have been done to save British Steel from insolvency? |
Stingy Banks? | 20100629 | 20100704 (R4) | Is Britain's economic recovery going to be stifled by banks not offering sufficient finance to small and medium size companies? Firms are concerned that although the banks say they are open for business the reality of the terms, conditions and fees make it unrealistic for them to apply for finance. In frustration, some businesses have turned to foreign banks to make finance available to them. And at a time when hi-tech businesses are seen as a source of future growth for the British economy, companies complain that banks are assessing loan applications using traditional business criteria which offer little support to this sector. As the part state owned banks fail to meet lending targets set by the previous administration, the new Business Secretary Vince Cable says he is determined to address this. But in the current climate how much more financial help can British business really expect? For 'File on 4', Morland Sanders investigates. Producer Ian Muir-Cochrane. Is economic recovery at risk as banks are failing to lend? Morland Sanders investigates. |
Street Slaves | 20140513 | 20140518 (R4) | The Government has introduced a draft Modern Slavery Bill which is aimed at making it simpler to prosecute human traffickers and which will bring in life sentences for such offences. But who are the victims of modern day slavery in the UK and how organised are the gangs who prey upon them? While much concern has focused on people trafficked into the country, Jane Deith reveals how the most vulnerable in society such as the homeless and people with learning difficulties are being targeted by gangs who pick them off the streets with the offer of money and accommodation. But many say they end up working long hours for little or no pay and are too frightened to leave. Some - including people from the UK - are taken abroad to countries such as Sweden and Norway to pave driveways and other labouring jobs. Others are working in the construction industry here but being paid much less than the minimum wage. Police say the traffickers and those who exploit the homeless and vulnerable are highly organised and often use their victims' identities to open bank accounts and commit further crimes such as benefit fraud, netting thousands of pounds and leaving their victims with huge debts. So who's monitoring the marginalised? Will the new Bill do enough to deal with the dark side of Britain's labour market? Reporter: Jane Deith Producer: Paul Grant. Modern-day slavery in the UK - how the homeless and vulnerable are used for cheap labour. |
Subscription Scams | 20220222 | 20220227 (R4) | From pills that resolve chronic pain issues overnight to diet supplements which promise to help shed pounds in days, the internet is awash with adverts making bold claims. Some come with a celebrity endorsement, where household names appear to give their personal stamp of approval to a product. But many of these are scams, with customers tricked into parting with more money than they realise ever intended. ~File On 4 investigates the growth of online subscription scams, where customers are unwittingly signed up to schemes which hit them with hidden charges, unexpected monthly fees and products which are made deliberately difficult to cancel. We hear from victims with chronic illnesses desperately searching for a solution to their ailments, who are instead left out of pocket and we speak to the celebrities furious their names are being used to endorse such products. The programme goes in search of those running these schemes online and exposes the tools and tricks designed to scam unwitting customers and sheds light on the creation of a global multi-million pound industry. Reporter: Athar Ahmad Producer: Anna Meisel Editor: Carl Johnston The billion dollar subscription scam industry. |
Sunni Shia Splits? | 20160216 | 20160221 (R4) | Are international conflicts creating tensions between Sunni and Shia Muslims in the UK? Shabnam Mahmood reports from both Sunni and Shia communities and reveals how divisive messages from the Middle East are fuelling intolerance here. Organisations which monitor hate crimes say sectarian violence, while low level, is increasing. One Shia man tells the programme: 'It is now becoming quite dangerous. It is an attack on me as a Shia that really scares me. Mahmood reports from one of an increasing number of unity events being staged across the country to foster good relations. A Sunni imam tells her: 'These are dangerous times and the religious leadership need to be seen to be doing things to bring communities together. So can such work prevent tensions escalating in the face of the sectarian propaganda that's increasingly available online and on satellite television channels? Producer: Sally Chesworth. Are relations between Sunni and Shia Muslims in the UK being strained by tensions abroad? |
Superbugs | 20130521 | 20130526 (R4) | In the first of a new series, File on 4 asks whether recent stark warnings about the threat posed by growing resistance to antibiotics have come too late. The Chief Medical Officer of England, Professor Dame Sally Davies, has painted an apocalyptic picture where routine operations could become deadly in just 20 years if we lose the ability to fight infection. But the programme discovers growing concern among doctors that bugs found in our hospitals have already developed the ability to withstand drugs which are effectively the last line of defence. Has the Government drive to eradicate MRSA and C-Difficile left the back door open for more challenging strains of superbug to take hold? Does the health service know why numbers of healthcare infections of E. Coli are rising? And where are the new medicines to tackle the resistant strains? The programme hears there's little incentive for drug companies to produce new antibiotics because they won't be able to make enough money. Allan Urry meets the medics on the front line in the battle to stop infection killing patients. Can the NHS win the war against the microbes? Producer: Paul Grant. Can the NHS protect patients from new antibiotic-resistant superbugs? |
Surviving Self-harm | 20210216 | 20210221 (R4) | Sarah (not her real name) first deliberately hurt herself at the age of 11 and continued for more than six years, twice ending up in hospital. Now 18 and on the road to recovery, she says her experience shows the shortcomings in how teachers, parents, and the health system respond to self-harm. ~File On 4 analysis of hospital admissions for self-harm reveals a system under growing pressure as more and more pre-teens are hurting themselves so badly they need a hospital bed. In telling Sarah's story, we look at what works and what doesn't when it comes to supporting children who self-harm. Why are ever-younger children ending up in hospital after injuring themselves? What has been the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic self-harm? And what was it that finally helped Sarah turn a corner? Reporter: Dan Whitworth Producer: Simon Maybin Editor: Maggie Latham One teenager's experience of hurting herself and a system struggling with rising demand. |
Swipe Right For Crime | 20190219 | 20190224 (R4) | Police across the globe have successfully infiltrated leading dark web criminal markets. The result is that the trade in illegal drugs, stolen credit cards and indecent images of children is shifting to encrypted mobile phone apps. The crooks believe their business is protected by 'uncrackable' technology. So what should Government and the telecoms companies do to ensure criminals do not exploit secure encryption? Reporter: Geoff White Producer: David Lewis Editor: Gail Champion (Photo credit: NurPhoto\Getty Images) The encrypted apps that bring the criminal web to your mobile phone. |
Tackling Online Abuse In Football | 20210907 | 20210912 (R4) | When three black England footballers missed penalties in the Euro 2020 football final they were bombarded with online racist abuse. The Football Association condemned the offensive and racist' messages saying it was appalled' and would do everything it could to assist Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka. File on 4 examines what many describe as institutional racism within the game and amongst supporters and asks what, if anything, is being done to stop it from happening? With access to new analysis charting the peaks and flows of online abuse, the programme explores who is really behind some of the most egregious comments. Arrests have been made in the wake of the Euro 2020 game but what long-term measures are in place to eradicate this poisonous behaviour which has spread from the terraces to online platforms with little in place to stop it. Reporter: Athar Ahmad Producer: Mick Tucker Editor: Carl Johnston Who's tackling online abuse in football? |
Taking The Rap | 20200303 | 20200308 (R4) | When a video of one of the UK's biggest rap stars being attacked went viral, it marked the start of a series of events that left three young people dead. They died when tensions escalated between rival gangs in Tottenham and Wood Green in the north London borough of Haringey. File on 4 has been told the events that led to their deaths were triggered by an attack on a rapper called Headie One from the Broadwater Farm estate in Tottenham. Tensions were escalated via social media - violent tit-for-tat attacks filmed and posted on Snapchat and You Tube. Livvy Haydock hears the stories of those at the heart of this feud and from those whose lives it has devastated. Reporter: Livvy Haydock Producer: Oliver Newlan Editor: Carl Johnston How social media is fuelling violence and murder in north London. |
Targeting The Vulnerable | 20150505 | 20150510 (R4) | It's taken a long time to break through the culture of denial, but child sexual exploitation cases from Rochdale to Oxford have shown that grooming of children can happen in any community. There seems to be a growing acceptance that what the Deputy Children's Commissioner says is true: 'there isn't a town, village of hamlet in which children are not being sexually exploited'. Councils that thought they were immune from groomers and traffickers, are now training staff to spot child sexual exploitation. And children are being taught how to avoid falling prey. But, as children become more aware of grooming, are abusers increasingly turning their attention to people with learning disabilities? In the first of a new series, File on 4 hears warnings from disability workers and detectives that abusers are increasingly targeting people with disabilities - because they're less likely to know what grooming is, less likely to tell, and if they do, their case is far less likely to go to court. Jane Deith visits the only safe house in the UK for women with learning disabilities who've been victims of rape and sexual exploitation, and hears even this secret address is now on the radar of gangs trying to groom the residents. Women with learning disabilities tell their stories of being groomed and exploited, how they eventually broke their silence, only to be told the crimes would not be prosecuted. Of an estimated 1400 cases of sexual abuse each year, only 1% result in a conviction. If offenders aren't being punished, can we prevent the abuse by protecting those at risk? Councils worried someone is being exploited can go to the Court of Protection for permission to restrict their relationships on the grounds they don't have the mental capacity to consent to sex. But it's a difficult thing to rule on. File on 4 hears from disability workers who say men and women are being left open to rape and abuse, but also from campaigners who say the state is denying people their fundamental human right to sexual relationships. Reporter: Jane Deith Producer: Sally Chesworth. How sexual abusers are increasingly targeting people with learning difficulties. |
Tax Avoidance | 20120313 | 20120318 (R4) | How strong is the government's commitment to ending schemes set up to minimise tax? A number of schemes have proved popular in the private sector, including Employee Benefit Trusts. These have been used by football clubs for tax planning purposes, but are now in the sights of HMRC as it attempts to recoup what it sees as unpaid tax. But how widespread are these trust schemes and why are they so popular with companies that have large government contracts? As the Treasury reviews tax avoidance by senior government employees, it has emerged that employees in other parts of the public sector are using payment schemes that keep them off the payroll. There is growing concern that paying public servants through personal service companies may be inappropriate. How tax-compliant are the citizens of the United Kingdom? Is there a risk that publicity about the tax-avoidance schemes of the rich, coupled with easier access to information via the internet, could lead to more people trying to cut their contributions? Presenter: Fran Abrams Producer: Ian Muir-Cochrane. As the Treasury reviews tax avoidance, Fran Abrams asks - how widespread is the problem? |
Taxing Questions | 20130129 | 20130203 (R4) | After a series of controversies over the tax bills of multinationals such as Google and Starbucks, ministers have been talking tough about avoidance. But as new tax rules come into operation, Fran Abrams looks at the reality behind the rhetoric. Will these new regulations halt the decline in corporate tax revenues? And why were so many major companies involved in writing them - even as their own tax affairs were coming under scrutiny? Producer: Rob Cave. Corporate tax: Who writes the rules? Fran Abrams investigates. |
Taxing Situations | 20201020 | 20201025 (R4) | For decades there was a boom in tax avoidance where people were paid using loans - and lowered their tax bills in the process. The boom went bust when the government clamped down, leaving some users with vast tax bills. Many of those people now owe life-changing amounts to HMRC yet campaigners say there has been insufficient action against the companies that promoted the schemes. But while some individuals face ruin, File On 4 has discovered that the businesses behind some of those loan schemes are still active. But now they've been targeting front-line COVID workers. Reporter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Anna Meisel Editor: Gail Champion COVID workers targeted with tax avoidance schemes that HMRC warns against signing up to. |
Teachers In The Dock | 20090303 | 20090308 (R4) | Julian O'Halloran asks if school safety measures to protect children have gone too far? |
Teams And Regimes: Sportswashing In Football | 20240514 | 20240515 (R4) | Manchester City are dominating English football, with a trophy cabinet full of silverware. The club's success has been bankrolled by money from Abu Dhabi. Now Newcastle United have followed in their wake, with backing from a Saudi consortium transforming a sleeping giant of English football into perhaps the world's richest club. But with the money comes accusations that the clubs are being used to launder the reputations of repressive regimes accused of human rights abuses, and that the cash from the two oil rich states is being used to exert political influence locally and nationally in the UK. Reporter: Adrian Goldberg Producer: Fergus Hewison Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Production coordinator: Tim Fernley Editor: Carl Johnston Is middle eastern oil money being used to buy more than just success for football clubs? Is middle eastern oil money being used to buy more than success for football clubs like Manchester City and Newcastle United, but also to exert political influence in the UK? |
Tennis: Game, Set And Fix? | 20160119 | 20160124 (R4) | ~File On 4 reveals secret evidence of match fixing in tennis and investigates claims that sport's governing bodies have failed to act on repeated warnings about suspect players. The programme has seen confidential documents which reveal how some were linked to gambling syndicates in Russia and Italy which won hundreds of thousands of pounds betting on matches they played in. A number of those who have been repeatedly flagged on fixing lists passed to the game's Tennis Integrity Unit have continued to attract highly suspicious gambling activity. Reporter Simon Cox also has an exclusive interview with one of the most high profile players to be banned for match fixing who says the problem is widespread in the sport. Reporter Simon Cox Producer Paul Grant. Have the tennis authorities done enough to investigate allegations of match-fixing? |
Tennis: The Italian Files | 20160315 | 20160320 (R4) | Two months ago a File on 4 investigation into match-fixing in tennis made headlines around the world. The programme revealed how tennis authorities had received repeated alerts in the past decade about 16 players, all of whom have been in the top 50. It also questioned the effectiveness of the sport's watchdog, the Tennis Integrity Unit. Now, in a follow up programme, Simon Cox reveals new allegations of corruption and further evidence of the involvement of gambling syndicates in trying to influence the outcome of matches. Officials from the governing bodies of tennis have already been interviewed by MPs about the findings of the original programme. They have also appointed a prominent London barrister to head an independent review into anti-corruption policies and practices. Reporter: Simon Cox Producer: Paul Grant. Simon Cox reveals more allegations about match-fixing in tennis. |
The 5g Con That Could Make You Sick | 20200616 | 20200621 (R4) | Since the UK went into coronavirus lockdown something strange has been happening -attacks on telephone masts and telecom workers are being reported all across the country. That's because some people think that 5G can make you sick -from corona virus to cancer and a whole host of other symptoms. Even more worryingly, some scientists say they can prove that it's harmful. But at a time when many businesses are struggling, could this apparent threat be helping to fuel a whole industry of strange and expensive products? And worse, could stoking these fears actually be damaging people's health? ~File On 4 investigates how bad science could be making you sick. Presenter: Tom Wright Producer: Chloe Hadjimatheou ~File On 4 investigates how bad science could be damaging people's health. |
The Accountant Kings | 20140304 | 20140309 (R4) | The UK is said to have more accountants than almost any other nation on earth. Thanks to reforms in the way the public sector is run, the 'Big Four' accountancy firms and the accountancy profession generally has become more powerful and more influential than ever before. But what do these accountants actually do and what does it mean for taxpayers? To find out, Simon Cox meets the residents of Birmingham, who are dealing with the reality of the accountants' decisions. And he speaks to the nation's top accountants to ask how their profession is changing and what the future holds. The last 20 years have seen many services which used to be run by local councils outsourced to the private sector. Capita, formed by a former government accountant, has taken the lion's share of these contracts, which often involve a team of Capita accountants deciding where to make cuts in local services. In Birmingham a massive IT and 'business transformation' contract between Capita and the City Council is proving highly controversial - with claims that it is diverting money away from public services and into private sector profit. Private Finance Initiatives (PFIs) form another kind of management model which accountants helped create and which added to the growth of the Big Four accountancy firms - Deloitte, Ernst and Young, KPMG and PriceWaterhouseCoopers - over the last two decades. Birmingham is home to one of the biggest PFI contracts ever signed, with a private contractor in charge of roads, trees and street lights. Have the accountants engineered a good deal for Birmingham? The next big growth area for the accountants is the NHS as doctors seek their help in commissioning and managing local services under the health service reforms. But what does this mean for the people on the NHS front line? Reporter: Simon Cox Producer: Lucy Proctor. What role do accountants play in managing modern Britain? Simon Cox investigates. |
The Aid Business | 20150630 | 20150705 (R4) | The UK's £12 billion pound foreign aid budget is one of the few areas of Government spending protected from cuts. The commitment to spend 0.7% of Britain's gross national income on aid means at least 60 billion pounds will be spent on overseas development in the next five years. Many of these projects are delivered by large companies that receive tens of millions of pounds from DFID (the Department for International Development). They can charge over a thousand pounds a day for a consultant and their directors earn six figure salaries but how effective are they are and the programmes they are paid to deliver? Simon Cox investigates the UK's aid industry and asks how taxpayers can know that they're getting value for money. Reporter: Simon Cox Producer: Gail Champion. Are taxpayers getting value from Britain's \u00a312 billion foreign aid budget? |
The Anatomy Of A Fraud | 20231024 | 20231029 (R4) | ~File On 4 highlights one fraud phone call, in order to shine a light on how scammers work. A man rings a company pretending to be from the bank. How does he persuade a victim he is legitimate? We consider the psychological, financial and emotional impact fraud has on those involved, and we hear from experts hunting the perpetrators. Producer: Vicky Carter Reporter: Iona Bain Technical Producer: Kelly Young Production Coordinators: Tim Fernley and Jordan King Editor: Clare Fordham What one scam phone call tells us about the psychology of fraud. ~File On 4 explores the anatomy of a single fraud, hearing a scam call unfold, and finding out its impact on the victim. |
The Asylum Business, The Uk's Hidden Housing Crisis | 20210316 | 20210321 (R4) | The multi-billion pound AASC contract is the Government's ten-year blueprint for how those seeking asylum in the UK are treated while they await a yes or no for their refugee status. After a year under the pressures of Covid , the contract has become mired in controversy. Former army barracks which have been repurposed as temporary holding centres for those applying for asylum have experienced fires, Covid-19 outbreaks and resident protests, and in other parts of the country, private landlords are threatening to pull out of the contracts. Are those living in such accommodation being treated fairly and humanely? Paul Connolly investigates. Producer: Rob Cave Are asylum seekers being mistreated by UK companies paid billions to house them? |
The Bill For Brussels | 20130212 | 20130217 (R4) | 21 years after the signing of the Maastricht Treaty, Britain is trying to cut the cost of the European Union. As the institution comes of age, Gerry Northam asks whether the EU's spending on itself has become excessive and - if so - whether member states do anything about it. In Brussels, hundreds of millions of pounds have been found for projects described by Eurosceptics as 'self-aggrandisement'. An art deco showpiece is being transformed into a new headquarters for the European Council at a cost of around 300 million Euros (£250m). A further 55 million Euros (£46m) is going to create a House of European History - a museum celebrating European integration. A new 20 million Euros (£17m) visitors' centre at the European Parliament, called the Parlamentarium, has been dismissed as a multimedia tribute to itself. Meanwhile alarm has been raised that money the United Kingdom designates as aid for developing countries is being diverted by Europe to encourage Turkey, Serbia and others to join the Union. MPs claim this money directly disadvantages Britain. Critics say Europe's expansion comes with an unnecessarily large price tag. Are they right? Reporter: Gerry Northam Producer: Chris Doidge. Does the European Union spend too much on self-promotion? |
The Billion-dollar Aid Question | 20151027 | 20151101 (R4) | As the crisis in Syria deepens and refugees flock westwards, the UK government insists it is helping with a £1.1bn aid package to neighbouring countries - but is it being spent wisely? Simon Cox tracks money going from the UK to projects on the ground in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey, trying to find out how much eventually gets to refugees. It's easy to see how funding an NGO to build new homes for Syrians is money well spent. But can the same be said for the hundreds of millions of pounds that go through the United Nations? The programme hears from aid workers, UN officials, refugees and UN investigators about cuts to food rations against a backdrop of high salaries and overheads. So is the UN up to the job of managing a modern-day refugee crisis? Producer: Lucy Proctor. The UK is giving a billion pounds of aid to Syrian refugees. But is it being well spent? |
The Brain Drain | 20221011 | 20221016 (R4) | Paul Kenyon investigates the brain drain' of doctors from developing countries to work in the UK. The large scale recruitment of foreign doctors from nations with the greatest need to retain their medical personnel is increasing on a massive scale. What's more, thousands of doctors are being targeted despite guidance which says recruitment from developing countries should not happen. It is though - because the UK trains too few doctors and nurses and needs these staff to plug the gaps. There are also big concerns about how many of the doctors flown into the UK are expected to work extremely long hours which they say is putting patient safety at risk. Reporter: Paul Kenyon Producer: Anna Meisel Research: Matthew Lynch Journalism Assistant: Tim Fernley Production Manager: Sarah Payton Editor: Carl Johnston The 'brain drain' of doctors from developing countries to work in the UK. |
The Cancer Drugs Fund | 20160607 | 20160612 (R4) | Over the past five years thousands of patients in England have been given access to new but expensive cancer drugs through a special Cancer Drugs Fund. But critics argue that hundreds of millions have been spent on drugs that offered poor value for money with sometimes limited effects. The Fund is now being reformed but cancer charities have written to the Prime Minister to express deep concern that drugs will now struggle to gain approval. Phil Kemp investigates the record of the Cancer Drugs Fund and asks if the proposed changes will offer better value for money or access for patients. Reporter: Phil Kemp Producer: Anna Meisel. How will the new Cancer Drugs Fund cope with the challenges of rising cost and demand? |
The Child Rescue Con | 20240716 | 20240717 (R4) | Project Rescue Children claims to save children from trafficking and abuse, but the BBC has uncovered evidence of false and misleading social media posts. The charity's director, Adam Whittington, has raised thousands of pounds from sponsors and donors around the world. But the BBC has found that unsuspecting children are being used as props, and the rescue centres have no children. Project Rescue Children rejects the BBC's findings and says its work has benefitted hundreds of children worldwide. Reporter: Hayley Mortimer Producer: Kate West Assistant Producer: Katy Ling Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Impact Producer: Melanie Stewart-Smith Production Coordinator: Tim Fernley Editor: Carl Johnston Exposed: Child rescue charity which claims to save children from trafficking and abuse. Award-winning current affairs documentary series Charity claims to save children from trafficking and abuse but the BBC has found that unsuspecting children are being used as props and the rescue centres have no children. " Project Rescue Children claims to save children from trafficking and abuse, but the BBC has uncovered evidence of false and misleading social media posts. The charity's director, Adam Whittington, has raised thousands of pounds from sponsors and donors around the world. But the BBC has found that unsuspecting children are being used as props, and the rescue centres have no children. Project Rescue Children rejects the BBC's findings and says its work has benefitted hundreds of children worldwide. Reporter: Hayley Mortimer Producer: Kate West Assistant Producer: Katy Ling Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Impact Producer: Melanie Stewart-Smith Production Coordinator: Tim Fernley Editor: Carl Johnston Exposed: Child rescue charity which claims to save children from trafficking and abuse. Award-winning current affairs documentary series Charity claims to save children from trafficking and abuse but the BBC has found that unsuspecting children are being used as props and the rescue centres have no children. " Project Rescue Children claims to save children from trafficking and abuse, but the BBC has uncovered evidence of false and misleading social media posts. The charity's director, Adam Whittington, has raised thousands of pounds from sponsors and donors around the world. But the BBC has found that unsuspecting children are being used as props, and the rescue centres have no children. Project Rescue Children rejects the BBC's findings and says its work has benefitted hundreds of children worldwide. Reporter: Hayley Mortimer Producer: Kate West Assistant Producer: Katy Ling Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Impact Producer: Melanie Stewart-Smith Production Coordinator: Tim Fernley Editor: Carl Johnston Exposed: Child rescue charity which claims to save children from trafficking and abuse. Award-winning current affairs documentary series Charity claims to save children from trafficking and abuse but the BBC has found that unsuspecting children are being used as props and the rescue centres have no children. Current affairs documentary series investigating major issues at home and abroad. |
The Compensation Catch | 20190226 | 20190303 (R4) | If you've been the victim of sexual or violent crimes then you can apply for compensation from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA). During 2017-2018, the government funded scheme paid out over £154 million to help people rebuild their lives. But for some victims it's not straightforward. Solicitors and charities argue that inflexible rules exclude too many people from successfully making a claim, including those who apply more than two years after a crime happens, and those who have an unspent conviction of any kind. Even where people are eligible for compensation, are they always getting what they deserve? Applications to the CICA can be made without the help of a solicitor but File on 4 investigates whether victims without legal advice may be being deprived of their entitlement. Serious questions are also being asked about the effect on vulnerable applicants when the CICA puts an award into a legal trust and dictates exactly how the money will be spent. A government review into the scheme is currently underway and is set to report back later this year but in the meantime, is it fair to those whose lives have been affected by abuse or violence - or is it penny-pinching to save public money? Presenter: Lesley Curwen Producer: Emma Forde Editor: Gail Champion Photo credit: Education Images\Getty The victims of violent and serious crimes being denied access to compensation. |
The Cost Of A Cuppa | 20150908 | 20150913 (R4) | Tea is still the UK's favourite drink - but what's the human cost of a cuppa? In the first of a new series of File on 4, Jane Deith reports from Assam on the plight of workers on tea plantations which help supply some of Britain's best known brands. India is one of the largest tea producers in the world with an industry worth billions of pounds - but critics say pickers often have to endure long working hours and insanitary conditions, leading to poor health and high levels of maternal and infant mortality. Producer: Sally Chesworth. Jane Deith investigates conditions for tea workers in Assam. |
The Cost Of A Kidney | 20170124 | 20170129 (R4) | In the UK three people die every day waiting for an organ transplant. People from ethnic minorities face a particular shortage of donors - the NHS aims to achieve 80% consent rates by 2020, but at the moment only 34% of families from ethnic minorities consent to donate organs when asked, and rates of living donation have started to fall. ~File On 4 finds that a small number of patients are so desperate they will risk their health by looking for a kidney abroad. Most British patients head to Pakistan, where an equally desperate group of people are coerced into giving up their kidneys, placing their lives in the hands of organ traffickers. But now a new, sinister trade is emerging in Pakistan. In October Pakistani police raided an apartment building in Rawalpindi and behind a metal grill, found 24 terrified people locked inside. They had been lured with offers of jobs, but when they arrived were kidnapped and told a kidney would be removed. As a worldwide shortage of organs fuels an increase in transplant tourism, Allan Urry, working in conjunction with local journalist Nosheen Abbas hears from the people caught up in this illegal trade and asks whether enough is being done to prevent it. Reporters: Allan Urry with Nosheen Abbas Producer: Ruth Evans Researcher: Usman Zahid. How a worldwide shortage of organs is fuelling a dangerous trade in transplant tourism. |
The Cost Of Care | 20210608 | 20210613 (R4) | ~File On 4 investigates the new challenges of providing home care during the Covid-19 pandemic - with some recipients seeing their care costs increased while their hours are reduced. Exploring reports of financial assessments being neglected, and allegations that people's basic needs are not being met, we ask if some of society's most vulnerable are being made to shoulder the cost of local council funding gaps. Producer: Michael Cowan Reporter: Claire Bolderson Editor: Maggie Latham An investigation into rising care costs and how the most vulnerable are paying the price |
The Cost Of Long Covid | 20210518 | 20210523 (R4) | Latest figures show more than a million people in Britain are suffering from long Covid. For many the condition is completely debilitating. The extreme fatigue, breathing difficulties, brain-fog is forcing hundreds of thousands of previously fit, working people on to long term sick. File on 4 hears from the hero frontline workers who kept Britain going through the pandemic but now feel abandoned. Others reveal how they've felt pressurised to return to work even though they're very ill. So who's looking after them - and who, if anyone, is going to support them when their sick pay runs out? Reporter: Paul Kenyon Producer: Mick Tucker Editor: Carl Johnston Long Covid - what happens when the sick pay runs out? |
The Crisis In Town Hall Finances | 20090317 | 20090322 (R4) | As local authorities struggle to balance the books because of the economic downturn, Allan Urry reports on a crisis in town hall finances. At a time when councils say that they are being forced to lay off thousands of staff, Allan asks why they have been investing a billion pounds of taxpayers' cash in banks which have crashed, with no sign of recovering the money. |
The Crooked House | 20230905 | 20230910 (R4) | The Crooked House: One summer's night the Crooked House, known as Britain's wonkiest pub, caught fire. Less than 48 hours later the ruins were knocked to the ground, completely destroying an iconic symbol of the Black Country. The pub gained its name, and worldwide fame, from its crazy angles caused by mining subsidence. But its loss is now being mourned amid calls for it to be rebuilt brick by brick. File on 4 tells the story behind the destruction of the Crooked House. Presenter: Adrian Goldberg Producers: Fergus Hewison, Emma Forde and Phil Marzouk Assistant Producers: Ella Rule and Patrick Kiteley Production Coordinators: Tim Fernley and Jordan King Technical Producer: Kelly Young Editor: Carl Johnston The Crooked House: The story behind the destruction of Britain's wonkiest pub. |
The Crossing | 20190319 | 20190324 (R4) | In the autumn of 2016 the authorities in France closed down a large migrant camp in Calais known as The Jungle. At its height more than 9,000 people from around the world lived in the camp while attempting to make it across to the UK, often hiding in the back of lorries or packed into small boats. It was hoped the camp's closure would stem the number of people risking their lives to try to get to Britain. But more than two years on has it worked? Over Christmas the Home Secretary Sajid Javid declared the number of migrants attempting to cross in boats a 'major incident' and since then more than 100 people have been picked up in 2019. File in 4 investigates the British gangs making thousands of pounds and risking migrants' lives smuggling them across the Channel and reports on the attempts to break up their networks. In France, concerted efforts have been made to stop another large camp being established in Calais and File on 4 asks whether the policy is succeeding in deterring migrants from travelling to the French coast, or whether it is simply driving people to take ever greater risks? Reporter: Paul Kenyon Producer: Ben Robinson Editor: Gail Champion Photo credit: AFP/Getty Images. The lucrative criminal trade in bringing migrants across the channel in dinghies. |
The Crypto Factor , The Winners And Losers In Virtual Investment | 20190312 | 20190317 (R4) | You can't take money with you when you die.... or can you? In this episode of File on 4 the stranger than fiction story that's the latest cryptocurrency scandal to leave tens of thousands of people out of pocket. The news about QuadrigaCX broke almost to the day that crypto-currencies celebrated a decade in existence. On this anniversary, we investigate the current state of the market and uncover how these sometimes tragic events have unfolded both here in the UK and across the world. With the UK government and other countries now considering attempting to regulate the market, we ask if these scandals could have been prevented and could now be avoided in the future. Reporter: Paul Connolly Producer: Kate West Editor: Gail Champion Photo credit: Reuters. Cryptocurrencies have been around for 10 years, so why are many still dogged by scandal? |
The Dangers Of Dating Apps | 20210223 | 20210228 (R4) | Millions of us each year pick up our phone and swipe right in the hope of finding the one', and with the pandemic limiting even the most basic of social interactions, statistics suggest more of us are using apps than ever before. For the majority of us these apps are a useful tool to connect in a busy world, but to criminals they serve as a playground to hunt for the vulnerable. From romance fraud to sexual predators, Livvy Haydock investigates the dangers these app's pose, if big tech does enough to protect its users, and what we as individuals should do to keep ourselves safer. Details of organisations that can provide help and support with fraud, sexual abuse and bereavement are available from the following organisations: Action Fraud provide a central point of contact for information about fraud and financially motivated internet crime. Phone: 0300 123 2040 www.actionfraud.police.uk UK Safer Internet Centre provides e-safety tips, advice and resources to help children and young people stay safe on the internet. www.saferinternet.org.uk Get Safe Online offers unbiased, factual and easy-to-understand information on online safety, including advice for parents about safeguarding children online. www.getsafeonline.org Sexual abuse: https://www.BBC.co.uk/programmes/articles/22VVM5LPrf3pjYdKqctmMXn/information-and-support-sexual-abuse-and-violence Bereavement: https://www.BBC.co.uk/programmes/articles/4MmhHDSbdDmTpVJhBs2v4Py/information-and-support-bereavement Livvy Haydock investigates dating apps and if the pandemic has made them more dangerous. |
The Dark Side Of Ballet | 20230912 | 20230917 (R4) | Hayley Hassall investigates accusations of bullying and body-shaming at some of the UK's elite ballet schools. File on 4 and Panorama have spoken to more than 50 ex-students of the Royal Ballet School and Elmhurst Ballet School who attended between 2004 and 2022. Many described developing eating disorders, while some said they had been left with mental health problems. One retired ballerina File on 4 has spoken to has begun legal action against the Royal Ballet School for the treatment she says she suffered there. The two ballet schools dispute the accounts given to the BBC and say they are working hard to change the culture, and put health and wellbeing at the forefront of their priorities Reporter: Hayley Hassall Producer: Paul Grant Editors: Carl Johnston and Clare Fordham |
The Disinformation Dragon | 20210309 | 20210314 (R4) | Prior to the Hong Kong pro-democracy movement and the Covid-19 pandemic, China's presence on international social media was largely to promote a positive image of its country - trying to change the climate' rather than seeking to sow confusion and division. But this is changing. In this investigation by File on 4 and BBC Monitoring, Paul Kenyon and Krassimira Twigg examine China's new strategy of aggressively pushing disinformation on social media platforms through the use of wolf warrior' diplomats, internet bots, the 50-cent army' of loyal Chinese netizens and a longer term goal of inventing a new type of internet where authoritarian governments can control users. Editor: Lucy Proctor Producer: Jim Booth Investigating China's new strategy of spreading disinformation around the world. |
The Epilepsy Drug Scandal | 20230718 | 20230723 (R4) | It's been called a bigger scandal than Thalidomide. The drug sodium valproate is estimated to have harmed 20,000 children in the UK. It's mainly used to treat epilepsy and other conditions such as bipolar disorder. But taking the drug when pregnant can cause serious harm to unborn babies. Even when it was licenced fifty years ago, it was known to cause harm to foetuses in animals. But it wasn't until 2005 that the patient information leaflet, which should come with a prescription- gave clear warnings on the risks of taking valproate in pregnancy to unborn children, beyond a small chance of spina bifida. ~File On 4 asks if the health regulators in the UK and the company who make it, Sanofi, did enough to inform patients of the severity of the drug's risks soon enough. Meanwhile, new risks of the drug are still emerging. A new study shows the drug may affect the neurological development of children fathered by men taking valproate. The evidence is still inconclusive, but neurologists are uncertain what to advise their male patients on valproate. And why are women still getting pregnant on it? We ask if the system set up to protect women taking it is working as it should be? A major review of the drug made a number of recommendations, including the setting up of specialist clinics and a compensation scheme for those affected. The programme asks what progress has been made in the UK to implement those changes, and are we lagging behind other countries? ~File On 4 speaks to the families whose children have been left with lifelong neurological and physical disabilities as a result of taking the medication. Reporter: Rachel Stonehouse Producers: Jane Fellner and Emma Forde Editor: Carl Johnston ~File On 4 investigates the drug Sodium Valproate and its impact on thousands of children. |
The Final Battle: Veterans Fighting For Compensation | 20240625 | 20240626 (R4) | There are two compensation schemes for veterans who've suffered injury or illness as a result of service - the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme - or AFCS - and the War Pension Scheme. The schemes are managed by Veterans UK which is an organisation run by the Ministry of Defence. But veterans have long criticised both schemes. Some say they reject claims unfairly, and are slow to resolve them. File on 4 has been told in some cases it's taken almost 12 years for a final decision to be made. How does the system work? And what is the impact on veterans who claim they have to fight for financial compensation for conditions they say are a result of their service? File on 4 hears from one ex-servicemen whose claim took over seven years to resolve, and from the family of another former soldier who took his life after his claim for PTSD was repeatedly turned down. If you are affected by anything in this programme, details of organisations offering support with mental health and self-harm, or feelings of despair, are available at BBC.co.uk/actionline. Producer: Vicky Carter Reporter: Datshiane Navanayagam Technical producer: Richard Hannaford Production co-ordinator: Tim Fernley and Ellie Dover Editor: Carl Johnston Veterans who have suffered injury from service can face years fighting for compensation. File on 4 investigates a system which assesses and compensates veterans who have suffered injury or illness as a result of service. Current affairs documentary series investigating major issues at home and abroad. |
The Gp Crisis | 20230711 | 20230716 (R4) | The morning rush in a doctor's surgery usually begins around 8am, before the doors even open, as patients ring up to try and get a precious appointment. But why is it so hard to get to see a GP, and why is primary care under such pressure? ~File On 4 has spent a week in a GP's surgery speaking to doctors, staff, and patients to try and understand the challenges facing the front line of health care. The programme has been given access to what goes on behind |