The Report

In the wake of the findings of the 7/7 inquest Simon Cox looks at what has changed within the emergency services.

Could any of the 52 people who died on July 7th 2005 have been saved if help had reached them sooner? Earlier this month the findings of inquest concluded that they could not. But the coroner Lady Justice Hallet didn't give the emergency services a clean bill of health. She made 9 recommendations for improvement and has asked for responses by the end of June.

This week's "The Report" looks at the reasons why some victims waited over an hour for fire and ambulance workers to reach them. And we talk to some of those involved in the incidents including Jason Killens from the London Ambulance Service and Michael Henning, a survivor of a bomb detonated at Aldgate Tube station, both of whom gave evidence at the inquest.

Last month riots broke out during a protest in Bristol about the opening of a new Tesco Express in the independent, bohemian area of Stokes Croft. Hundreds of people took to the street, several police officers were injured and there was serious damage to the new store.

A longstanding campaign had concerns about the impact of the store on the area's character - exacerbated by the belief that Tesco had been less than open. The council are frustrated that they didn't know a supermarket was in the offing when they agreed to the site's 'change of use'. There's no obligation on any supermarket to declare their hand at that stage and Tesco say that as well as bringing investment into the area there were thousands of people through the door when the Express store opened. The Council have asked the Government to review the planning rules.

As the Localism Bill goes through Parliament and the Government appoints Mary Portas 'Queen of Shops' as High Street Tzar there's an emphasis on devolved decision making and more control for local authorities. Phil Kemp visits areas where the local community is split and hears that some councillors feel they can't ask the questions they want to - like whether or not the community 'needs' a new supermarket. The coalition had made a commitment to change the planning rules to that effect, but the question is whether a Government keen to kick start the economy can afford to stand by that pledge.

Producer: Andy Denwood

In the aftermath of the conflicts in North Africa a new wave of migrants is heading to Europe, but the 27 member states are divided over how to share the responsibility.

Simon Cox explores the growing dispute and asks whether it could result in changes to the EU's fundamental principle of open borders and how it deals with migration in the future.

Reporter: Simon Cox

Tunisia was the focus of international attention when popular protest helped to topple the country's autocratic leader and triggered a wave of demonstrations across the region. But what happens next? Linda Pressley travels to Tunisia and meets those vying for political and business influence in its more open society. Amongst those she speaks to are Sheikh Rachid Ghannouchi, leader of Tunisia's largest Islamist party and, until recently, a resident of Hemel Hempstead.

In the 21st century age of digital technology, is it still really necessary to have a paper census costing the British taxpayer 482 million pounds and taking nine years to plan? In opposition, the Conservative Party was highly critical of the census. So, as the dominant partner in a coalition government, could they be about to abolish it? Reporter James Silver investigates the options for a replacement survey of the nation and reveals how some proposed changes could result in more goverment intrusion.

The stricken Fukushima nuclear power plant in Japan missed scheduled safety inspections weeks before the disaster. The Japanese regulation system stands accused of failing to take the risk of an extreme natural disaster seriously enough, and of a lack of openness with the public.

Britain's own regulatory body which oversees nuclear power plants has just re-launched itself after years of concern that it has been secretive, understaffed and overstretched.

In recent years the government's Chief Nuclear Inspector says he has struggled to recruit new staff and that the Nuclear Safety Inspectorate faced major challenges to ensure old nuclear plants are run safely.

As the Office for Nuclear Regulation takes on the challenge of ensuring Britain's nuclear power plants are run safely, Andy Denwood investigates whether it's up to the job.

Producer Ian Muir-Cochrane.

The Report investigates the battle over the government's plans to stop illegal downloading of music. Is the digital economy bill unravelling?

On 5 May, the whole of the UK goes to the polls to vote in a referendum for the first time since 1975. Voters will be asked to decide whether they want to replace the existing "first past the post system" to elect MPs to the House of Commons with the "alternative vote" system.

It is a referendum that will see some unlikely alliances forming on either side of the campaign, with some the UK's largest trades unions lining up alongside senior Conservative party politicians to push for a "no" vote, while those advocating a "yes" come not only from established parties like the Liberal Democrats and some sections of the Labour Party, but also smaller parties like the Green Party.

But with such a complex mix of interested parties, how much do we know about who is bankrolling the campaigns and what their agendas are? Reporter James Silver investigates the campaign groups and private individuals pumping millions of pounds into the contest and asks whether the rules around disclosure of donations are as robust as those for general elections.

As conflict grows in the Middle East Simon Cox asks whether universities may rethink the donations that many UK universities have received from this region of the world. Following the resignation of Howard Davies from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), which accepted money from Libya, The Report asks whether other universities may find themselves embarrassed. UK universities - especially Oxford and Cambridge -have received more donations from Arab and Middle Eastern countries in the past 10 years than ever before - in part to fund centres for Islamic studies. What impact has this had on scholarship?

Criticism has grown as some students, academics and campaigners believe that universities should not accept money from countries with bad human rights records. But is it possible to draw up a list of countries from which no money should be taken? And could understanding of the Islamic world be compromised if the money doesn't come in?

Producer Rosamund Jones.

The newspaper headlines read "Christian couple barred from fostering children because of their views on homosexuality" and "B&B owners punished for being faithful to Christian teaching".

They refer to two recent cases brought to court under the 2006 Equality Act: Eunice and Owen Johns who believed their Pentecostal faith was being used to prevent them caring for foster children and Stephen Preddy and Martyn Hall, a gay couple who won damages again patrons of a guesthouse run in line with what the owners believe are Christian teachings and who refused to rent out double bedded accommodation to the couple.

In "The Report" Matthew Hill asks what really happened in these cases, and why they ended up in court. He talks to the key people involved - and the organisations supporting the different sides. They include a Christian campaign organisation, a Christian charity and the Equality and Human Rights Commission, funded by the taxpayer.

Are these cases part of a "battle for influence" amongst groups using the law as a way of increasing their leverage in society?