Today - 06/03/2009

Presented by Sarah Montague and James Naughtie. The information watchdog has shut down a company which it says sold workers' confidential data. The deputy information commissioner David Smith discusses what action will be taken. Reporter Nicola Stanbridge visits one independent school in south-west London to discover the problems with teaching science at GCSE. John Howson of the Magistrates' Association discusses if the overcrowding problem could be alleviated by giving magistrates' courts more power. Young Scientist Peter Hadfield explains what motivated him to get involved in science. Science correspondent Tom Feilden reports on the request for more compensation for people born with deformities due to the drug thalidomide. Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland Sir Hugh Orde discusses why members of an army special forces unit are being deployed to help gather intelligence on dissident Republicans. Dr Alan Outram of Exeter University discusses if horses were domesticated rather earlier than once thought. Thought for the day with Lord Harries of Pentregarth, the Gresham Professor of Divinity. John Dunford of the Association of School and College Leavers and headmaster John Welsh discuss if GCSEs still challenge pupils. Foreign Secretary David Miliband says the situation in Pakistan is very grave. The explorer Pen Hadow has now embarked on his journey to the Arctic. He discusses his progress with the writer and explorer Benedict Allen. Alan Ritchie of Ucatt says workers who raise issues of health and safety have been placed on blacklists. Director of the Centre for European Reform Charles Grant and Conservative MEP Daniel Hannan discuss the stability of the euro. Liu Weimin, spokesman for the Chinese embassy in London, discusses how China intends to continue its modernisation. Broadcaster Andrew Neil and journalist Nick Davies discuss the current quality of investigative journalism in the UK.