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File on 4 Investigates: Daily Summaries Delivered
by BBC Radio 4
News-making original journalism documentary series, investigating stories at home and abroad.
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- 6 days ago37 min
The fugitive fraudster who stole from you
The Government’s anti-corruption champion Dame Margaret Hodge has accused one of the UK’s most prolific tax fraudsters of “abusing the justice system”. Arif Patel, originally from Preston but now on the run in Dubai, led a gang running an elaborate carousel fraud operation, stealing tens of millions of pounds. It worked by using using sham companies to move goods in and out of the country to generate false VAT refunds. In 2023, he was convicted in his absence of tax fraud, money-laundering, false accounting and selling counterfeit goods. Last year a judge ordered Patel to repay £90.5m he’d gained through criminal activity. He is challenging that at the Court of Appeal, despite being on the run.Criminals defrauding the tax system costs the UK billions of pounds in lost revenue each year. File on 4 Investigates hears how those who investigated him are frustrated that he's still evading justice. Presented by Ben Robinson Producer: Alys Harte Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards Editor: Tara McDermott Junior Production Manager: Tom Dunster Production Management Assistant: Tim FernleyImage Credit: HMRC Handout.
- 2 weeks ago36 min
Dangerous habit: The criminal networks flooding the UK with fake cigarettes
File on 4 Investigates reveals the global criminal networks flooding the UK with fake cigarettes. We trace the supply chain smuggling the counterfeits across borders and lay bare the human cost as vulnerable people are moved across continents and made to work and live in clandestine factories here in the UK.We reveal how a secret factory capable of making up to a quarter of a billion cigarettes a year was recently uncovered in the UK and join Belgian customs as they raid a factory making cigarettes bound for the British market. A former senior official in Europol tells us criminal gangs are now making as much money from fake cigarettes as drugs.Presenter: Jane Deith Producer: Paul Grant Production Management: Tim Fernley & Tom Dunster Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Editor: Tara McDermott
- 3 weeks ago37 min
Forced Adoption: Is it happening today?
The number of children taken into care before they reach their first birthday is at a worryingly and persistently high level, according to new figures. In many of those cases it is unsafe for parents to look after their children - but experts believe that a significant number of those babies might not have gone into care, if the right support was in place. This programme investigates the support birth families receive and how much of a voice they are given once care proceedings begin. Figures suggest that most children who go on to be adopted are taken into care as babies. Ninety percent of adoptions happen without the written consent of birth parents. It’s led to some using the term ‘modern day forced adoption’ and to calls for a debate about the system.File on 4 Investigates hears about one project in Salford which has been praised for the support it gives to birth families, cutting the number of children going into care and being adopted. In response to our findings Adoption England say that the process provides "children with a permanent, stable and loving family" adding that "Without adoption, the vast majority of these children will remain in care throughout their childhood and, as extensive research shows" they experience "significantly worse outcomes".The government says it is putting £2.4bn into “transforming the children’s social care system” in England and say they want to increase support for children to stay with their family wherever possible.Presenter: Judith Moritz Senior Producers: Claire Kendall & Ashley Kennedy Production Co-ordinators: Tim Fernley & Tom Dunster Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards Editor: Tara McDermottFor details of organisations which offer advice and information with adoption and fostering, go online to bbc.co.uk/actionline.Image: Jean and Tye, who is now an adult, are back in contact.
- Sep 29, 202637 min
Tinderbox Britain - Are we ready for more wildfires?
"Tinderbox"conditions created by a long, hot, dry summer brought a record number of wildfires in 2026. Dozens of homes were destroyed or damaged, huge areas of land burned, and one man died. But experts are warning there may be worse to come in future as climate change makes conditions for wildfires in the UK even more likely. The Government banned disposable barbecues in the summer, sent out a wildfire alert to people's mobile phones, and is now planning to hold a wildfire summit. File on 4 Investigates looks at whether the country is prepared for the growing threat, and if the emergency services have the resources to cope.Presenter: Adrian Goldberg Producer: Fergus Hewison Production Co-ordinators: Tim Fernley & Tom Dunster Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Editor: Tara McDermott
- Sep 22, 202637 min
Has a cult come to town?
The Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light moved into a former orphanage in Crewe in 2021. It’s American-born leader Abdullah Hashem has declared himself the Madhi or saviour. But earlier this year, 500 police officers raided the organisation's headquarters, leading to protests in the town throughout the summer. File on 4 Investigates follows the group’s journey from Egypt through Europe to discover what brought them to the UK. Presented by Hayley Mortimer & Emir Nader.Archive: The Ahmadi Religion of Peace and Light / AROPL Studios.
- Sep 15, 202637 min
China and the UK... after the 'Golden Era'
In October 2015 President Xi Jinping was welcomed to Britain on a state visit, the event was seen as the pinnacle of the so called 'Golden Era' of warm relations between the UK and China. Over a decade later, and despite a cooling of that relationship, File on 4 Investigates discovers Chinese state money and influence reaching far into UK companies and universities as China targets British chip and blockchain technology, and asks whether enough is being done to mitigate the threat to national security. Presenter: Paul Kenyon Producer: Anna Meisel Research: BBC Verify Junior Production Manager: Tom Dunster Production Management Assistant: Tim Fernley Technical Producer: Cameron Ward Editor: Tara McDermott
- Sep 2, 202637 min
Medical Emergency
One doctor dies by suicide every three weeks, according to figures from the British Medical Association.In 2021, Dr Lalith Wijedoru left his role as consultant paediatrician in emergency medicine, to focus on supporting workforce health and wellbeing, including those working in healthcare. Given rare access to a wellbeing and recovery retreat, we hear emotional testimonies from the four groups of doctors at greatest risk of suicide - General Practitioners, anaesthetists, surgeons and psychiatrists.Their stories - of workplace bullying, isolation, fatigue and fear of patient complaints - suggest a system in which doctors are made to feel like machines, rather than human beings. The concept of 'moral injury' is also a factor - where a doctor is unable to provide the care they wish to give to their patient, due to lack of resources or system breakdown. Many doctors we hear from say they feel intense internalised pressure to do better - to work harder, and to never complain at worsening conditions. All have suffered from fear of failure, and the lack of the opportunity to decompress after traumatic events in the workplace. These stories take us to the heart of issues being faced by many or most NHS professionals - and by the ‘system’ more generally.For Lalith, this sharing of difficult stories is an important pathway to recovery, even a life-saving intervention.Lalith is spurred on to talk to those who seek to help and support doctors, from charities like Doctors in Distress, founded by the brother of a doctor who died by suicide, as well as those who are studying the problem of why - and how many - doctors are dying by suicide. Worryingly, there are gaps in available data, because statistics are drawn from coroners' Preventable Death reports. In England, these are a matter for each individual coroner to decide on, so death by suicide is not uniformly recorded. Having laid many of these problems bare, what hope is there of realistic change and improvement? Presenter: Dr Lalith WijedoruProducer: Amanda HargreavesSound design: Joel CoxLocation recordings: Jon CalverExecutive producer: Dave HowardA Bespoken Media Scotland production for BBC Radio 4 This programme contains reference to suicide. If you've been affected by issues raised in this programme, you can find out more about organisations that can help by going to www.bbc.co.uk/actionline.There are also specific resources available to doctors and healthcare workers - some links to these below.NHS Practitioner Health https://www.practitionerhealth.nhs.uk/British Medical Association (confidential helpline with counselling and peer support for doctors and medical students https://www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/your-wellbeing/wellbeing-support-services/counselling-and-peer-support-servicesDepartment of Health and Social Care (text message service - support available for workers in NHS England) https://www.england.nhs.uk/supporting-our-nhs-people/support-now/Doctors In Distress https://doctors-in-distress.org.uk/You Okay Doc? https://youokaydoc.org.uk/NHS Employers (Suicide Prevention/Postvention Toolkit) https://www.england.nhs.uk/publication/working-together-to-prevent-suicide-in-the-nhs
- Aug 25, 202637 min
The Coroners Question
Coroners are called to investigate sudden, unexpected and violent deaths. In the more complex cases, they open an inquest. The BBC's social affairs correspondent Michael Buchanan has seen many coroners in action and reported from many inquests. For this programme we follow the inquest of Daniel Lindsay, who died in 2023 aged 41 in a Surrey care home, as we ask wider questions about coroners courts in England and Wales. Are they operating as well as they could and are there ways they could be better?We discuss claims the system is ‘chronically under-funded’, even 'broken'. We ask why there is such variation and inconsistency between different coroners – a so-called ‘postcode lottery'. We hear from Daniel Lindsay’s cousins as we explore what it is like for a bereaved family to go through an inquest and ask whether the interests of relatives should be given a higher priority.The Chief Coroner in England and Wales Alexia Durran responds to concerns and explains what she is doing to make the service more responsive and accountable. Details of advice and support with bereavement, or end of life care are available at bbc.co.uk/actionline.Producer: Leela Padmanabhan Sound design: Hal Haines
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