The Report

The conviction in May of nine men in Rochdale for the grooming of young girls threw into stark reality the threat to young vulnerable people living in some children's homes in England. One victim had been sexually exploited while going missing from her privately run home on 19 occasions over a period of three months.

A parliamentary report published a month later has shown this is not an isolated case. In fact, as many as 10,000 young people are going missing from children's homes each year, while the institutions in which they're based are given a clean bill of health by the authorities.

The Report investigates the changing children's home industry, exploring how the task of caring for some of society's most troubled youngsters has become largely the preserve of the private sector.

Simon Cox will ask whether at a cost of as much as £250,000 per child each year, privately run homes are providing value for money and an adequate level of care for their vulnerable residents. He'll also question whether the regulatory regime charged with holding the industry to account is up to the task.

Producer: Hannah Barnes.

Why are vulnerable girls living in children's homes falling victim to grooming and sexual abuse?

The recent convictions of nine men involved in a child sex ring in Rochdale revealed the tactics of the perpetrators. But the investigation also showed failures in the care system and its inability to protect residents of children's homes.

One of the victims living in a privately run residential home was abused by 25 men in one night. New figures suggest hundreds more may have suffered similar exploitation.

Many local authorities no longer run residential establishments but send children to homes in other parts of the country. There is a concentration of provision in the North West of England where property is cheap. But vulnerable young women far from their roots can become at risk of being groomed - particularly in areas where there is known to be a problem.

The leader of Rochdale Council tells Simon Cox that local authorities should stop sending children to private homes in their area as they can't guarantee that children will be kept safe.

Michael Gove recently called for new safeguards to protect teenagers in care, but why are existing guidelines and procedures not being followed?

Former victims speak out to describe the devastating impact on their lives and why - for them - any new measures will be too late.

Producer: Gail Champion.

Gareth Williams was found dead in his central London flat, inside a locked holdall, in August 2010. The 31-year old had been seconded from his full-time job at Government listening post GCHQ to MI6.

An inquest earlier this month concluded that 'on the balance of probabilities' Mr Williams was unlawfully killed and that it was unlikely he got into the bag by himself.

However, the Coroner in charge, Dr Fiona Wilcox, expressed doubt that Gareth Williams' death would ever be explained. His body was so badly decomposed when it was discovered that subsequent pathology reports proved inconclusive.

This week, The Report asks whether the investigation into what happened two years ago was hampered by mistakes from the outset.

Reporter Phil Kemp questions whether the police ruled out legitimate lines of inquiry too early. He explores the role of MI6 and the impact their delay in notifying anyone of his disappearance subsequently had on forensic testing.

Producer: Hannah Barnes.

When a proposal to cap the amount of tax relief that individuals can claim was included in the recent Budget, charities mounted a huge campaign against the changes. Hundreds of organisations have signed up to the 'Give it Back George' campaign, urging the Chancellor to rethink the plans.

The charities involved include some of Britain's biggest not-for-profits, along with many tiny local organisations, and groups of all sizes in between. Yet the reduced tax relief will only affect a small, elite band of charity donors - those who give more than £50,000 or a quarter of their yearly income.

Who are these big donors and why have charities been so vocal about saving their tax breaks? Simon Cox finds out more about wealthy charity backers, investigates the proposed changes and asks how much tax affects the motivations of Britain's biggest givers. If the Coalition proposals turn into law, how much does the Exchequer stand to gain - and how much do charities stand to lose?

Producer: Mike Wendling.

Phil Kemp investigates claims that some businesses were mis-sold products designed to protect them against interest rate rises.

When Mark Duggan was shot by armed police in Tottenham, north London on 4th August 2011, the Independent Police Complaints Commission immediately began an investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.

It is normal procedure for the IPCC to conduct an independent investigation into the circumstances of any fatal shooting by the police.

At the time, IPCC Commissioner, Rachel Cerfontyne, said: "I will make certain that this investigation is thorough and answers the many questions that everyone has when such an incident occurs."

Yet there is now the real possibility that a full inquest conducted openly and before a jury, will never be held into the shooting which triggered rioting in Tottenham, and which later spread across London and other English cities.

Simon Cox speaks to people close to Mark Duggan about what impact this news is having in the community.

He investigates whether the IPCC have the statutory powers they need in order to do their job properly.

And, after the IPCC stated that their hands may well be 'tied' by the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act, Simon will ask whether it is time for a change in the law which currently prevents phone intercept evidence being heard in court.

Producers: Hannah Barnes and Mike Wendling.

A new alcohol strategy for England unveiled by the Government will clamp down on cheap alcohol with the introduction of a minimum unit price. This unexpected u-turn, just months after the Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley, cast doubt on the legality of the plan, has delighted campaigners and follows the lead set in Scotland last year.

The proposals are now being trumpeted by the Home Office as a way to crack down on binge drinking and alcohol related violence, but how far will they go in reducing late night anti-social behaviour in town centres?

Andy Denwood investigates moves to reduce alcohol related crime.

Producer: Gail Champion.

Parts of England are facing the worst drought in more than 30 years. A hosepipe ban has been imposed. How did we get here? For The Report, Linda Pressly investigates.

Samantha Lewthwaite, the widow of a 7/7 bomber who killed half of the 52 victims, is suspected of involvement in a Kenya terror plot. Following the London atrocities, Germaine Lindsay's partner, also a Muslim convert, claimed no knowledge of his activities and dropped off the intelligence services' radar.

Simon Cox investigates the story of the white woman resembling Lewthwaite, who travelled into Kenya with three children on a false passport. She has been linked to a house in Mombasa where bomb making equipment was found. The house is believed to have been used by members of al-Shabaab, the al-Qaeda associated group based in neighbouring Somalia and blamed for violent attacks in the area.

The terrorist group, known for recruiting from the Somali diaspora is now also targeting British Muslims from other backgrounds. The horn of Africa has become the latest training ground for potential jihadists who represent a threat not only in that area, but in Britain too.

There's evidence that the woman believed to be Lewthwaite travelled between the UK, Somalia and Kenya last year, and security experts are asking why her movements weren't picked up. And The Report has learned that in light of developments it's likely that there will be a reassessment of the 7/7 evidence.

Producer, Sally Chesworth.

The Report investigates the government's welfare-to-work scheme. Why are some of the organisations in charge of delivering the plans saying that the Work Programme is unworkable?

Shortly after the £5 billion Work Programme was put into place last year, The Report highlighted concerns about whether the scheme could succeed where other plans had failed in helping the long-term unemployed find jobs, through the use of charities and for-profit companies.

Hannah Barnes revisits the story and finds that despite the fact the scheme has been running for less than a year, some charities and voluntary organisations are already pulling out. They cite a lack of referrals from prime contractors - the handful of mostly private companies the government contracted with under the Work Programme - and the difficulty of helping the most difficult cases.

With the bulk of payments under the scheme linked to keeping people in jobs over the long term, some charities have struggled with cash flow problems that have threatened to put them out of business.

A National Audit Office report suggested that the government had been being overly optimistic in its estimates of the number of people who will be helped into work over the course of the Work Programme's five-year contracts. Hannah revisits some of the unemployed people currently on the scheme who spoke to The Report to in September. Six months on, have any of them found jobs?

With warning signs piling up, The Report asks why the coalition government is still pressing forward with the Work Programme.