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Woman's Hour: The future of embryo research, Ofsted inspections, British Gymnastics' complaints procedure

The future of embryo research, Ofsted inspections, British Gymnastics' complaints procedure

BBC Radio 4 - Woman's Hour, The future of embryo research, Ofsted inspections, British Gymnastics' complaints procedure

Scientists want a new law to help IVF patients donate unused embryos for research.

Leading scientists are calling for a change in the law to help IVF patients donate unused embryos to biomedical research after a collapse in donations over the past 15 years. Emma Barnett talks to Professor of Reproductive Physiology at Cambridge University Kathy Niakan and Clare Ettinghausen from the UK's fertility regulator, the HFEA.

The new play Glacier is a dark and poignant festive comedy. It follows three women who meet while wild swimming in their local lake one Christmas. They form an unofficial tradition, meeting each year to go for a swim and escape. Escape their responsibilities, life’s stresses, and maybe most of all – their families.  We hear from playwright, comedian and podcaster Alison Spittle, and actor Sophie Steer, who stars in the show.

We take another look at the world of gymnastics following on from last year's damning Whyte review with labelled the British Gymanstics as "inept and dysfunctional". Since that time, not one complaint of abuse has been upheld by British Gymnastics’ Independent Complaints Process – with every single case over the past three years collapsing. We talk to Claire Heafford from Gymnasts 4 Change about their campaign for a new procedures.
As two teaching unions call for a pause in Ofsted inspections following the death of head teacher Ruth Perry, we talk to Paul Whiteman, the General Secretary of the teaching union the National Association of Head Teachers.

Presenter: Emma Barnett
Producer: Lisa Jenkinson
Studio Manager: Tim Heffer

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