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.
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Folge vom 17.06.2014Inside the Abattoir
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Folge vom 10.06.2014Northern Ireland: A Bitter LegacyMore 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.
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Folge vom 03.06.2014Short-selling Students?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.
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Folge vom 27.05.2014Practices Under PressureGPs 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?