The Report

Current affairs series. Phil Kemp investigates the sale of the British software company Autonomy to IT giant Hewlett Packard, which claims it was misled about the firm's value.

Following the row over Rotherham council's decision to remove three foster children from a couple because of their support for UKIP, Simon Cox investigates concerns about the high number of Roma children being taken into care.

Since the House of Laity in the General Synod voted not to push ahead with the ordination of women bishops there have been calls for reform. Many believe that the House of Laity does not represent the views of the majority of churchgoers and overly represents the evangelical conservative and anglo-catholic perspective. Is that the case or are these calls for reform indicative of a bad case of sour grapes? Linda Pressly investigates what it would take to create common ground between traditionalists and liberals within the Church and, if that is not possible, what the future might hold.

Matthew Hill looks at why surgeon Rob Jones, the obstetrician who delivered the Camerons' baby Florence in 2010, was able to remain in practice for twenty years at the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, despite being subject to eight inquiries into his clinical competence. Sir Bruce Keogh, NHS Medical Director for England speaks exclusively to the Report committing to rolling out a new league table of surgeons to scrutinise surgeons' practice.

The Royal British Legion is one of the UK's most iconic charities. It's known for its annual Poppy Appeal and the help it promises veterans of all ages. But former staff, including decorated officers, claim that a major restructuring will impede the Legion's ability to deliver the help that veterans expect. Angus Crawford talks to veterans, former Legion staff, and the charity's chief executive and asks whether the RBL, founded by First World War veterans, is equipped to face the challenges of the 21st century.

The Report is a current affairs series combining original insights into major news stories with topical investigations.

In The Report this week Simon Cox investigates the battle for influence over free schools. A flagship Conservative policy, the establishment of state funded schools, independent from local authority control has been controversial amongst many teachers, parents and local communities. With this stiff opposition from the education establishment, how is the policy progressing? As the second tranche of these new schools are one month into their first term, we investigate why some of these schools are approved in areas such as Suffolk where there is seemingly no need for them. But we hear from successful groups wanting to change their local area and set up their visions of new schools. We speak to people whose free school projects have been pulled by the Department of Education one week before they were supposed to open, leaving parents and children in the lurch and ask just to what extent has the Department of Education got a handle on its new project.

Presenter: Simon Cox.

On 15 April 1989 Liverpool Football club were to play Nottingham Forest in the semi-final at Hillsborough in Sheffield. 96 Liverpool fans died after a crush developed in over-crowded stands. Subsequent investigations and media reports suggested that drunken fans had burst into the ground causing chaos and fatal overcrowding. Police witness statements supported this account and formed the basis for two decades of subsequent inquiries. But last month a new report revealed that witness evidence was widely tampered with and that some fans could have been saved by a better emergency response. Jenny Chryss examines the history of inquiry and misinformation into the disaster and asks why it has taken so long for truth to finally emerge.

With police still trying to establish a clear motive for the shooting of a British family and a cyclist in the French Alps, Simon Cox asks whether the murders will ever be solved.

The UK Border Agency recently revoked London Metropolitan University's licence to sponsor overseas students, meaning that it can no longer recruit or continue to teach current students.

According to the Government, the UKBA found systemic failings in the way the university managed its records. It found that many students did not have permission to study in the UK, did not have the correct English language or academic qualifications, while in other cases there was not enough evidence students were attending their courses.

London Met on the other hand does not recognise these problems, and is taking legal against the UKBA's decision.

Wesley Stephenson asks why the licence was revoked. Has London Met been lax in its recruitment and monitoring of students, or has it fallen victim of a complicated visa system? Why did the UKBA act now? Was there overwhelming evidence of systemic failings, or was there political pressure to take tough action?