Today - 02/03/2009

Presented by John Humphrys and Sarah Montague. Stephen Alambritis, of the Federation of Small Businesses, and Welsh Assembly member John Griffiths discuss calls for the government to subsidise workers' wages. Richard Garside, of Kings College London, discusses the effectiveness of community penalties. Healthcare Commission report author Maureen Burton and Ministry of Defence minister Kevan Jones discuss military healthcare. Cricket historian David Firth and Dr Heiner Gillmeister discuss the likelihood that cricket originated in Belgium. Thought for the day with the International Director of Micah Challenge, the Reverend Joel Edwards. Middle East Editor Jeremy Bowen reports from Gaza and Sir Nicholas Young, of the British Red Cross, discusses the problems of funding and access facing aid agencies in Gaza. There has been a major breakthrough in stem cell science. Professor Sir Ian Wilmut of the Medical Research Council discusses the implications of the breakthrough for medicine. Journalist Jessica Duchen and conductor Harry Christophers discuss Handel's legacy. HSBC Group Chairman Stephen Green discusses the bank's plans to raise funds through a new rights issue. Councillor Vanessa Brown discusses the effect of the admissions lottery on secondary schools. Gordon Brown has vowed to forge a 'global new deal' with Barack Obama. Former foreign secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind discusses the future of the special relationship. Journalist Andrew Rawnsley and Peter Kellner from Yougov discuss whether government action is increasingly determined by public opinion. Nick Bryant reports on a possible increase in shark attacks off the Australian coast. Reverend Dr John Polkinghorne discusses how religion can enter into a dialogue with science.