Women and Prison, Acid Attacks, Women piano composers, Dr Beth Shapiro

Woman's Hour

In her speech at Labour conference the Secretary of State for Justice Shabana Mahmood said: "for women, prison isn’t working." To discuss her latest announcement, as well as the launch of the Women's Justice Board, Nuala is joined by the former Chief Inspector of Prisons, Dame Anne Owers, and Lily Blundell, Head of Community Programmes at the charity, Women in Prison.

A manhunt is continuing following a suspected acid attack outside a school in west London. The attack took place outside Westminster Academy in Westbourne Park, after school, on Monday afternoon. The school was closed yesterday, with lessons taking place online and many staff working from home. Acid attacks increased by 69% in England and Wales last year, with female victims exceeding the number of male victims for the first time, according to one leading charity. Nuala discusses the incident with BBC's Steve Knibbs and Ayesha Nayyar, who is a campaigner and solicitor.

The London Piano Festival runs at Kings Place from Friday 4 - Sunday 6 October. Nuala is joined by Katya Apekisheva, co-founder of the festival, a Professor of Piano at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and prize-winning pianist Rose McLachlan, to explore of the lives and music of women piano composers from the last two centuries.

Dr Beth Shapiro is an evolutionary biologist working in de-extinction. She is a pioneer in the ancient DNA field, and features in a new documentary: Hunt for the Oldest DNA. Her work goes towards saving species from extinction and fighting against climate change. She joins Nuala to talk about her work and why it’s so important. Presented by Nuala McGovern Producer: Louise Corley