Recommendations & Conclusions
102 items
1
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry, led by the late Sir William Macpherson, was truly ground-breaking when its report was published twenty-two years ago. It led to major changes in the law, in policing, in the response to institutional racism and the treatment of racist crimes. Ultimately it led to the conviction …
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The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry, led by the late Sir William Macpherson, was truly ground-breaking when its report was published twenty-two years ago. It led to major changes in the law, in policing, in the response to institutional racism and the treatment of racist crimes. Ultimately it led to the conviction of two of the suspects for Stephen Lawrence’s murder.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the importance of public trust and confidence in policing, noting that the Home Office and policing partners already monitor various data broken down by ethnicity and that the National Policing Board prioritises being trusted by the public.
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Home Office
2
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
Many of the findings and subsequent 70 recommendations made by the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry focused on longstanding issues which remain as relevant today, in particular, the overall aim set by the late Sir William Macpherson of “the elimination of racist prejudice and disadvantage and the demonstration of fairness in all …
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Many of the findings and subsequent 70 recommendations made by the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry focused on longstanding issues which remain as relevant today, in particular, the overall aim set by the late Sir William Macpherson of “the elimination of racist prejudice and disadvantage and the demonstration of fairness in all aspects of policing”. Our inquiry was prompted by concerns that, in some areas, much more still needed to be done to achieve that overall aim. Given the significance of the report both to policing and to the wider understanding of institutional racism, we were very concerned to hear from Baroness Lawrence just after the twentieth anniversary of the Macpherson report in 2019 that, on the report’s recommendations, “it seems as if things have become really stagnant and nothing seems to have moved”.
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Government response AI summary
The government asserts its commitment to tackling hate crime by referencing its 2016 Hate Crime Action Plan (refreshed 2018) and communications campaigns, which aimed to improve police response and public understanding of hate crime.
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Home Office
3
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
Our inquiry does not attempt to replicate the work of the forensic judge-led Stephen Lawrence Inquiry twenty-two years on, nor to replicate the many other wider reports about racism and race equality since then. But we have assessed progress against some of the most important Macpherson report recommendations: on community …
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Our inquiry does not attempt to replicate the work of the forensic judge-led Stephen Lawrence Inquiry twenty-two years on, nor to replicate the many other wider reports about racism and race equality since then. But we have assessed progress against some of the most important Macpherson report recommendations: on community confidence, on tackling racist crimes, on recruitment and retention of Black and other minority ethnic officers and staff, on the use of stop and search and other powers, and on Sir William’s overall aim of the elimination of racism and the demonstration of fairness in policing. As our report shows, addressing the shortcomings in these areas is an urgent challenge. (Paragraph 26) Confidence in policing among BME communities
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Government response AI summary
The Ministry of Justice has developed guidance for commissioners to support ethnic minority victims, focusing on improving service effectiveness and engagement, while the Home Office is exploring ways to understand the experiences of victims from ethnic minority backgrounds.
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Home Office
4
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
Evidence to our inquiry shows that there is a significant problem with confidence in the police within Black communities. We were very concerned to see that confidence in the police among Black people has fallen in recent years and the gap in confidence in policing between White and Asian people …
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Evidence to our inquiry shows that there is a significant problem with confidence in the police within Black communities. We were very concerned to see that confidence in the police among Black people has fallen in recent years and the gap in confidence in policing between White and Asian people on the one hand, and Black and Mixed ethnicity people on the other hand, has grown.
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Government response AI summary
The government highlights its ongoing Police Uplift Programme, which aims to increase police representation from diverse communities through national campaigns, attraction and recruitment strategies, and enhanced data capture to address issues related to community confidence.
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Home Office
5
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
Fairness, respect and impartiality are core values that should be fundamental to policing. So the fact that Black people, and especially Black Caribbean people, have much lower expectations than White people that they will be treated fairly and with respect by the police is a matter of deep and serious …
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Fairness, respect and impartiality are core values that should be fundamental to policing. So the fact that Black people, and especially Black Caribbean people, have much lower expectations than White people that they will be treated fairly and with respect by the police is a matter of deep and serious concern. The problem is particularly acute for young people. Those we heard from in London expressed strong sentiments of anger and frustration towards the police, particularly about the way in which they felt police officers did not treat them fairly or with respect, and also expressed the lack of confidence they had that the police would keep them safe. (Paragraph 68) 176 The Macpherson Report: Twenty-two years on
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Government response AI summary
The government states that police forces are using positive action provisions from the Equality Act 2010 to increase representation, with updated guidance from the College and new guidance in development as part of 'Inclusive Britain,' alongside Police Uplift Programme investment in diverse recruitment.
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Home Office
6
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
Overall the majority of people from all communities still report confidence in their local police. However, there is no getting away from the significant confidence and fairness gap for Black communities. The fact that this persists twenty-two years after the Macpherson report is deeply troubling. It undermines the principle that …
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Overall the majority of people from all communities still report confidence in their local police. However, there is no getting away from the significant confidence and fairness gap for Black communities. The fact that this persists twenty-two years after the Macpherson report is deeply troubling. It undermines the principle that all victims of crime should feel confident in turning to the police for help and puts in jeopardy the principle of policing by consent that lies at the heart of British policing. It should be cause for serious concern and urgent action among police forces and policing leaders.
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Government response AI summary
The government outlines existing governance mechanisms, such as the National Policing Board and the Police Uplift Programme Board, which are tasked with strategic oversight and ensuring progress on diversity within policing to address issues of confidence and fairness.
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Home Office
7
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Not Addressed
Given the seriousness of the issue we are particularly alarmed by the failure of police forces and the Home Office to have proper plans in place to address the confidence gap, or even to be gathering the basic evidence and data they need at local force level to understand and …
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Given the seriousness of the issue we are particularly alarmed by the failure of police forces and the Home Office to have proper plans in place to address the confidence gap, or even to be gathering the basic evidence and data they need at local force level to understand and tackle the problem. Lack of confidence data by ethnicity at a local force level also makes it much harder to hold local forces to account for concerns about BME communities’ confidence in the police. The Metropolitan Police provides up-to-date, clear information on public perceptions by ethnicity but few other forces provide similar or comparable information. This is not good enough.
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Government response AI summary
The government's response discusses progress in handling complaints and conduct, and the importance of granular data on disproportionality, but it does not address the committee's specific concern about the failure to gather local force-level confidence data by ethnicity.
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Home Office
8
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Not Addressed
The Macpherson report in its first recommendation called for a Ministerial Priority for all police services to “increase trust and confidence in policing amongst minority ethnic communities”. For the Macpherson report, the setting of a “Ministerial Priority” had a particular meaning as part of the formal relationship between the Home …
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The Macpherson report in its first recommendation called for a Ministerial Priority for all police services to “increase trust and confidence in policing amongst minority ethnic communities”. For the Macpherson report, the setting of a “Ministerial Priority” had a particular meaning as part of the formal relationship between the Home Office and the police, as well as indicating the importance and value that Ministers and the police should attach to the issue. Those formal arrangements changed in the early noughties, but the broader spirit of that first recommendation is as important today as it was then and in 2021 currently it is not being met. The significant decrease in confidence among some Black and minority ethnic populations in the past year, the consistent reporting of lower levels of Black and Mixed ethnicity confidence in the police compared to White individuals and the widening of the gap, combined with the failure of successive governments to require data on confidence to be collected at a local force level by ethnicity, shows that increasing trust and confidence in policing in the Black community is not being treated as a policing priority or as a Ministerial priority today.
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Government response AI summary
The government provides statistics on ethnic minority representation in Professional Standards Departments and states the NPCC is working to improve this, but the response does not address the committee's central point about the failure to treat increasing trust and confidence as a Ministerial priority or …
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Home Office
9
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Not Addressed
Practical action is needed. The Home Office and National Police Chiefs’ Council must ensure that confidence data is gathered and regularly published for all forces so that their communities and Police and Crime Commissioners can hold them to account, with further targeted qualitative work by forces to assess confidence levels …
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Practical action is needed. The Home Office and National Police Chiefs’ Council must ensure that confidence data is gathered and regularly published for all forces so that their communities and Police and Crime Commissioners can hold them to account, with further targeted qualitative work by forces to assess confidence levels in areas with smaller BME communities. Following the example set by MOPAC and the Metropolitan Police, survey results should be made publicly available on force websites in an easily accessible format.
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Government response AI summary
The government's response focuses on the benefits and monitoring of stop and search powers, detailing piloted data collection for s.163 Road Traffic Act powers and a commitment to consider various stop and search metrics. It does not address the recommendation to gather and regularly publish …
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Home Office
10
Recommendation
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Not Addressed
Police forces in England and Wales should set out clear local plans to improve confidence informed by local confidence data. They should state what measurable actions they are taking a) to increase the confidence of BME communities and b) to narrow the gap between these communities and the White population; …
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Police forces in England and Wales should set out clear local plans to improve confidence informed by local confidence data. They should state what measurable actions they are taking a) to increase the confidence of BME communities and b) to narrow the gap between these communities and the White population; they should be inspected on how they address confidence and trust in their forces among Black and The Macpherson Report: Twenty-two years on 177 minority ethnic communities. We recommend that as part of its regular legitimacy inspections HMICFRS monitors how police forces are recording and measuring BME confidence in their forces.
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Government response AI summary
The government details improved stop and search data collection and a commitment to use data to challenge disparities. It also highlights the importance of internal and external body-worn video reviews to build confidence, but does not commit to police forces setting out local plans to …
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Home Office
11
Recommendation
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Not Addressed
The Home Office and the National Policing Board should monitor the confidence gap in each force and should set out each year what action is being taken nationally to ensure that confidence among BME communities increases in order to restore legitimacy. (Paragraph 74) Racist incidents and victims of crime
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The Home Office and the National Policing Board should monitor the confidence gap in each force and should set out each year what action is being taken nationally to ensure that confidence among BME communities increases in order to restore legitimacy. (Paragraph 74) Racist incidents and victims of crime
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Government response AI summary
The government extensively discusses the use of Body Worn Video (BWV) to improve accountability and transparency, outlining efforts to improve guidance, facilitate footage sharing with scrutiny panels, and enhance officer communication training. However, the response does not address the recommendation for the Home Office and …
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Home Office
12
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
The Macpherson report brought about a transformation in the way police recognise racist incidents and deal with racist crimes, and we found a strong commitment from senior police officers to maintain the progress that had been made. This seismic change is one of the most important legacies of the Stephen …
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The Macpherson report brought about a transformation in the way police recognise racist incidents and deal with racist crimes, and we found a strong commitment from senior police officers to maintain the progress that had been made. This seismic change is one of the most important legacies of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry and the vital work of those who fought to make sure the inquiry happened.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the importance of police officer training for legitimate power use and welcomed improvements in police interactions. It then raises its own concern that neither the NPCC nor Home Office have published further analysis of racial disparity in COVID-19 Fixed Penalty Notices and …
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Home Office
13
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Not Addressed
However, we are concerned about the variability in police force responses at a local level: the commitment to tackling hate crime needs to be universal and consistent across the police service. We are also very concerned that the victims of hate crimes are less likely to feel that they are …
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However, we are concerned about the variability in police force responses at a local level: the commitment to tackling hate crime needs to be universal and consistent across the police service. We are also very concerned that the victims of hate crimes are less likely to feel that they are treated with respect by the police and less likely to be satisfied with the outcome of a police investigation than they are in other crimes. Twenty-eight years on from the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence, the Home Office and the NPCC need to ensure that the police today are taking clear action to support the victims of racist crimes properly.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges concerns about disproportionality in COVID-19 Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) and notes ongoing data publication and an independent analysis commissioned by the NPCC. It commits to improving diversity and community relations but does not address the specific recommendation for clear action to properly …
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Home Office
14
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Not Addressed
We are concerned that the police once again lack the information and data they need to address these issues properly. More public information is needed on race hate crimes, the impact on different communities and the experiences of victims. The Home Office must commission research into the reasons behind lower …
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We are concerned that the police once again lack the information and data they need to address these issues properly. More public information is needed on race hate crimes, the impact on different communities and the experiences of victims. The Home Office must commission research into the reasons behind lower levels of confidence among hate crime victims and ensure that figures on the victims can be broken down by monitored hate crime strand. Police forces also must improve the recording of hate crime offences so that data is accurate and consistent and must collect better information on the victims of hate crime.
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Government response AI summary
The government outlines its support for police technology and the role of the Chief Scientific Advisor, emphasizing training programs that involve local communities and address racial disparities within institutions. However, it does not commit to commissioning research on confidence among hate crime victims or improving …
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Home Office
15
Recommendation
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Not Addressed
The Government’s disaggregation of religious hate crimes for different religions is welcome, as this provides valuable detail and insight. We believe that race hate crimes should be similarly disaggregated, so as to understand the breakdown of offences by ethnicity. Other forms of police data are already provided in this way. …
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The Government’s disaggregation of religious hate crimes for different religions is welcome, as this provides valuable detail and insight. We believe that race hate crimes should be similarly disaggregated, so as to understand the breakdown of offences by ethnicity. Other forms of police data are already provided in this way. We call on the Government to work with police forces to implement the disaggregation of race hate crime so as to be able to publish results in the Home Office’s hate crime statistics release for 2022–23.
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Government response AI summary
The government discusses the College of Policing's role in developing quality training for officers on community engagement, diversity, and the appropriate use of powers. It then outlines the responsibilities of a proposed independent Commissioner, but neither aspect addresses the specific recommendation to disaggregate race hate …
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Home Office
16
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
The drop in racist incidents and crimes in the crime survey, and the increase in crimes that are reported to the police, is welcome and suggests that there is both an increased awareness of hate crime and increased confidence in reporting such crimes. However, statistics indicating that more than 75,000 …
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The drop in racist incidents and crimes in the crime survey, and the increase in crimes that are reported to the police, is welcome and suggests that there is both an increased awareness of hate crime and increased confidence in reporting such crimes. However, statistics indicating that more than 75,000 race related incidents 178 The Macpherson Report: Twenty-two years on were recorded in England and Wales in 2019/20—a number which is likely to be an underestimate—is clear evidence that race hate remains a very significant problem in our society.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the ongoing need to tackle racism in policing and describes existing strong governance structures, including the National Policing Board and PCCs, designed to ensure transparency and accountability. It rejects the necessity of a new Commissioner, asserting that current oversight mechanisms are sufficient …
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Home Office
17
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
Our greatest concern going forward is that the Government and police forces are being left behind by the rise of online racism and racist crimes as the rise of social media means patterns of race hate crime are changing. Currently the police do not have the digital capacity, training or …
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Our greatest concern going forward is that the Government and police forces are being left behind by the rise of online racism and racist crimes as the rise of social media means patterns of race hate crime are changing. Currently the police do not have the digital capacity, training or systems in place to be able to keep up with monitoring, investigating and charging serious cases of racist and hate crimes committed online.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledged its commitment to tackling hate crime and outlined existing measures, including the Hate Crime Action Plan, public awareness campaigns, the True Vision online reporting portal, and Operation Modify, a digital skills training program for police.
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Home Office
18
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Not Addressed
Social media companies and platforms need to do far more to tackle online racist crime, incitement and abuse. The Committee has been raising these issues with the major social media companies for four years and, while some changes have been made, progress has been far too slow.
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Social media companies and platforms need to do far more to tackle online racist crime, incitement and abuse. The Committee has been raising these issues with the major social media companies for four years and, while some changes have been made, progress has been far too slow.
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Government response AI summary
The government's response did not directly address the committee's call for social media companies to do more to tackle online racist crime, focusing instead on existing government and police initiatives against hate crime.
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Home Office
19
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
We welcome the Government legislating for online safety and we continue to consider these issues separately from this report. But we are concerned that much more also needs to be done around the policing response.
Government response AI summary
The government acknowledged its commitment to tackling hate crime and listed existing measures to improve the police response and public awareness, such as the Hate Crime Action Plan, awareness campaigns, the True Vision portal, and Operation Modify training for police.
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Home Office
20
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Not Addressed
Alongside the legislative and regulatory proposals that the Government is developing for social media companies, the Home Office and National Police Chiefs’ Council should draw up a new strategy for policing hate crime online including identifying the skills, training and digital infrastructure that police forces urgently need.
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Alongside the legislative and regulatory proposals that the Government is developing for social media companies, the Home Office and National Police Chiefs’ Council should draw up a new strategy for policing hate crime online including identifying the skills, training and digital infrastructure that police forces urgently need.
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Government response AI summary
The government did not commit to drawing up a new strategy for policing online hate crime. Instead, the response detailed existing measures such as the Hate Crime Action Plan, the True Vision reporting portal, and Operation Modify for digital skills training among police.
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Home Office
21
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
We agree with Neil Basu that the links between hateful content online, radicalisation and extremism as well as the devastating impact online hate crimes can have on individuals mean that it needs to be taken extremely seriously. There is a responsibility on the Government, the police service, social media companies …
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We agree with Neil Basu that the links between hateful content online, radicalisation and extremism as well as the devastating impact online hate crimes can have on individuals mean that it needs to be taken extremely seriously. There is a responsibility on the Government, the police service, social media companies and all of us in our communities to work more effectively to tackle racist hate crimes and hateful extremism online.
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Government response AI summary
The government affirmed its commitment to tackling hate crime and hateful extremism online, reiterating existing measures such as the Hate Crime Action Plan, awareness campaigns, the True Vision portal, and Operation Modify training for police.
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Home Office
22
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
The increased support for all victims of crime and the work of Family Liaison Officers as a result of the Macpherson report are important wider legacies of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry. However, we are extremely concerned that, twenty- two years on from the publication of the Macpherson report, some Black …
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The increased support for all victims of crime and the work of Family Liaison Officers as a result of the Macpherson report are important wider legacies of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry. However, we are extremely concerned that, twenty- two years on from the publication of the Macpherson report, some Black men and women still report that they feel they have been treated as suspects not victims and that this reduces the likelihood of them reporting crime to the police in future. The police response to a victim of crime must never be influenced by assumptions based on their ethnicity, or racial stereotyping. The Home Office and National Police Chiefs’ Council must work with the Victims Commissioner to commission research into the experience of BME victims of crime and they must set out a specific plan of action to ensure there is proper support for BME victims of crime. (Paragraph 121) Recruitment and progression of BME officers and staff
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Government response AI summary
The government highlights existing Ministry of Justice guidance for commissioners on supporting ethnic minority victims and states the Home Office is exploring ways to better understand victims' experiences and will continue to engage with the Victims Commissioner.
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Home Office
23
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
In 2020 BME officers represented just 7% of the police service across England and Wales, far below the 14% of the population in England and Wales who are BME. The Macpherson Report: Twenty-two years on 179 It is extremely disappointing that twenty-two years after the publication of the Macpherson report …
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In 2020 BME officers represented just 7% of the police service across England and Wales, far below the 14% of the population in England and Wales who are BME. The Macpherson Report: Twenty-two years on 179 It is extremely disappointing that twenty-two years after the publication of the Macpherson report the police service is still a very long way from being representative of the diverse communities it serves.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the need for representative police forces and details ongoing work through the Police Uplift Programme to diversify recruitment, including national campaigns, sharing best practices, and improved data collection.
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Home Office
24
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
What is equally shocking is that so little changed in terms of BME recruitment and retention in the decade following our predecessors’ last inquiry on the Macpherson report. While there has been progress in BME recruitment by some forces in the last twelve months, several forces, including large forces like …
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What is equally shocking is that so little changed in terms of BME recruitment and retention in the decade following our predecessors’ last inquiry on the Macpherson report. While there has been progress in BME recruitment by some forces in the last twelve months, several forces, including large forces like the Metropolitan Police Service and the West Midlands Police, had not at 31 March 2021 met the 10-year target for levels of BME representation set in 1999. Moreover, BME officers are over- represented in certain junior roles within the police service, for example as Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs), and are under-represented in the most senior ranks, with no Black chief constables currently leading an English or Welsh police force. This problem is not restricted to policing and similar patterns of under- representation are evident across the public sector but in policing it is particularly important given the need for legitimacy. We welcome the efforts of those forces who have increased BME recruitment in the last twelve months, but it should not have taken this long to see those changes start to happen.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the importance of representative police forces and outlines current efforts through the Police Uplift Programme to improve recruitment, retention, and progression of BME officers, including targeted attraction strategies and enhanced data collection.
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Home Office
25
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
The Macpherson report was clear that police forces need to be representative of the communities they serve. Throughout our inquiry we have heard concerns about community confidence in the police, the use of certain police powers and wider racism in policing. These findings of racial disparities and the community concerns …
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The Macpherson report was clear that police forces need to be representative of the communities they serve. Throughout our inquiry we have heard concerns about community confidence in the police, the use of certain police powers and wider racism in policing. These findings of racial disparities and the community concerns around them, in our view, are exacerbated by the lack of BME police officers and staff at all levels of police forces. The Peel principles that have underpinned British policing for nearly 200 years are based on the understanding that the police are the public and the public are the police. These principles apply to everyone: it cannot be the case that they apply to some communities and not others based on the colour of people’s skin. As long as police forces remain so unrepresentative of local communities these vital principles are being undermined.
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Government response AI summary
The government reiterates that police forces should be representative of their communities and highlights the ongoing Police Uplift Programme, detailing its strategies for diversifying recruitment and improving understanding through better data.
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Home Office
26
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
Despite commitments made over many years police forces across the country have failed to do enough to increase BME recruitment, retention and promotion for decades. There has been a lack of focus, consistency and leadership in driving BME recruitment and promotion in the police service and it has not been …
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Despite commitments made over many years police forces across the country have failed to do enough to increase BME recruitment, retention and promotion for decades. There has been a lack of focus, consistency and leadership in driving BME recruitment and promotion in the police service and it has not been taken seriously by either policing or political leaders for far too long.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the challenge of achieving a diverse police service and details the current efforts of the Police Uplift Programme, which aims to improve BME recruitment, retention, and progression through various strategies.
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Home Office
27
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
Our analysis suggests that, on the current rate of progress, we will not have properly representative police forces in England and Wales for another twenty years. That would be four decades after the Macpherson report raised the seriousness of this issue and nearly half a century after the murder of …
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Our analysis suggests that, on the current rate of progress, we will not have properly representative police forces in England and Wales for another twenty years. That would be four decades after the Macpherson report raised the seriousness of this issue and nearly half a century after the murder of Stephen Lawrence. This undermines legitimacy and trust and is completely inexcusable. Urgent action is needed.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the need for representative police forces and describes the ongoing Police Uplift Programme, emphasizing its role in diversifying recruitment and improving data collection to understand retention.
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Home Office
28
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
The Government has committed to the recruitment of an additional 20,000 police officers by 31 March 2023. We agree with the Home Secretary that the uplift must be used to make immediate and significant progress in tackling the persistent under- representation of BME communities within the police force. We also …
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The Government has committed to the recruitment of an additional 20,000 police officers by 31 March 2023. We agree with the Home Secretary that the uplift must be used to make immediate and significant progress in tackling the persistent under- representation of BME communities within the police force. We also welcome the work done by some forces over the last year to achieve an increase in the number of BME recruits. But we need a substantial and sustained increase from all forces. We are 180 The Macpherson Report: Twenty-two years on already into the second year of a three-year increased recruitment programme, so both police forces and the Home Office need to act fast to make sure that this vital opportunity to accelerate change is not missed.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the opportunity presented by the Police Uplift Programme to improve BME representation and details various ongoing strategies within this programme, such as targeted recruitment campaigns and data collection, to achieve this.
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Home Office
29
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
Much stronger national action is needed. We recognise the various equality and diversity initiatives that have been undertaken by different policing bodies but in practice they have not delivered sufficient focus or progress on BME recruitment or tackling race inequality within forces. Strategies and guidance are also ineffectual without consistency …
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Much stronger national action is needed. We recognise the various equality and diversity initiatives that have been undertaken by different policing bodies but in practice they have not delivered sufficient focus or progress on BME recruitment or tackling race inequality within forces. Strategies and guidance are also ineffectual without consistency in their implementation and delivery across all forces. The Home Office must therefore set out a new framework and strategy to increase BME recruitment and ensure that all forces commit to action, not just some.
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Government response AI summary
The government responds by detailing the existing Police Uplift Programme, which it states is a comprehensive programme working with all 43 forces to deliver recruitment and retention strategies for a more diverse service, rather than committing to a new framework.
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Home Office
30
Recommendation
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Not Addressed
We recommend that the Government agrees minimum targets for the recruitment of BME officers with each constabulary reflecting the respective composition of its local population, in order to achieve at least 14% of officers nationally by 2030. These should include immediate targets for this year’s new BME recruitment to reflect …
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We recommend that the Government agrees minimum targets for the recruitment of BME officers with each constabulary reflecting the respective composition of its local population, in order to achieve at least 14% of officers nationally by 2030. These should include immediate targets for this year’s new BME recruitment to reflect the proportion of BME residents in the local community as well as longer term targets for representation across the force. A national strategy should be drawn up by the National Policing Board drawing together the Home Secretary, the NPCC and other policing organisations, setting out a clear plan with a timeline, rigorous scrutiny on progress and remedial measures for failure to achieve these targets.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the need for representative police forces and details existing initiatives under the Police Uplift Programme, but does not commit to agreeing specific minimum targets for BME recruitment or a new national strategy with timelines and remedial measures.
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Home Office
31
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Not Addressed
The Home Secretary must also set clear, measurable race equality objectives for individual police forces in relation to ethnic diversity, retention and progression, performance against which should be reported annually.
Government response AI summary
The government highlights the ongoing Police Uplift Programme as its approach to increasing diversity and improving understanding of retention, but does not commit to the Home Secretary setting clear, measurable race equality objectives for individual police forces with annual reporting.
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Home Office
32
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
It is welcome that forces such as the West Midlands and Leicestershire have already made clear commitments both on immediate recruitment levels and the overall proportion of BME officers in the force over time. Other forces need to be more ambitious or the immediate opportunity to improve workforce diversity significantly, …
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It is welcome that forces such as the West Midlands and Leicestershire have already made clear commitments both on immediate recruitment levels and the overall proportion of BME officers in the force over time. Other forces need to be more ambitious or the immediate opportunity to improve workforce diversity significantly, provided by the current uplift, will be lost.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the importance of diversity and details current comprehensive work through the Police Uplift Programme, including attraction campaigns, sharing best practice, and improved data collection to support all 43 forces in becoming more representative.
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Home Office
33
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
It is particularly disappointing that the number of forces achieving representative recruitment is not higher since it is clear that forces which have made a focused effort to do so are able to achieve representative recruitment. The recent progress by forces in Greater Manchester and Nottinghamshire has shown that it …
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It is particularly disappointing that the number of forces achieving representative recruitment is not higher since it is clear that forces which have made a focused effort to do so are able to achieve representative recruitment. The recent progress by forces in Greater Manchester and Nottinghamshire has shown that it is possible rapidly to increase the proportion of new BME recruits into line with the proportion of BME residents in the local population. Best practice from forces which are successful in achieving representative recruitment should be shared across police forces and Chief Constables held to account for their success or failure to achieve representative recruitment.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the importance of diversity and states that sharing best practice is already an effort being made through the Police Uplift Programme, which also supports forces with various recruitment strategies and national campaigns targeting diverse audiences.
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Home Office
34
Recommendation
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Not Addressed
We recommend that the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners works with Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to enable force level comparison, and shared learning from different PCCs’ approaches to addressing race equality in recruitment to the police service.
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We recommend that the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners works with Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) to enable force level comparison, and shared learning from different PCCs’ approaches to addressing race equality in recruitment to the police service.
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Government response AI summary
The government response reiterates its general commitment to police diversity through the Police Uplift Programme, which includes sharing best practice among forces, but it does not specifically address the recommendation for the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners to facilitate force-level comparison and shared learning …
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Home Office
35
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
All forces must do far more to use the positive action provisions of the Equality Act 2010 to develop targeted recruitment campaigns, mentoring and support. Some forces have used those provisions very effectively to increase BME recruitment significantly in a short space of time. But we have been troubled to …
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All forces must do far more to use the positive action provisions of the Equality Act 2010 to develop targeted recruitment campaigns, mentoring and support. Some forces have used those provisions very effectively to increase BME recruitment significantly in a short space of time. But we have been troubled to find that until recently many The Macpherson Report: Twenty-two years on 181 forces have failed to use the full scope of provisions permitted under the positive action provisions of the Equality Act 2010 to improve recruitment and progression, despite falling far behind in achieving recruitment that is representative of their local communities.
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Government response AI summary
The government reiterates its commitment to increasing diversity through the Police Uplift Programme, which includes various attraction and recruitment strategies, as well as national campaigns designed to reach diverse audiences and provide targeted communications. However, it does not explicitly commit to ensuring forces do 'far …
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Home Office
36
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
The evidence from forces which do use a positive action approach demonstrates that forces should be able to achieve their targets using tried and tested positive action measures. Given the success these forces have had, we believe that chief officer teams should be required to use the positive action tools …
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The evidence from forces which do use a positive action approach demonstrates that forces should be able to achieve their targets using tried and tested positive action measures. Given the success these forces have had, we believe that chief officer teams should be required to use the positive action tools available to them and made accountable for their progress.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the importance of representative forces and describes current efforts under the Police Uplift Programme to support forces with recruitment strategies and national campaigns to reach diverse audiences, but does not explicitly commit to requiring chief officer teams to use positive action tools …
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Home Office
37
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
Given the enduring nature of this problem a clear framework is needed for holding Chief Constables and police forces to account and ensuring that there is follow up action where forces do not make sufficient progress.
Government response AI summary
The government asserts that a clear framework for accountability already exists through the Home Secretary's National Policing Board, which sets strategic priorities and holds the sector to account, and through Police and Crime Commissioners who ensure local accountability for Chief Constables.
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Home Office
38
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
Progress against local targets must be assessed regularly by the Home Secretary, acting through the National Policing Board. We welcome the commitment made by HMICFRS to include recruitment in their inspections on disproportionality. Representative recruitment must be treated as a key measure of legitimacy in HMICFRS’ regular inspections.
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Progress against local targets must be assessed regularly by the Home Secretary, acting through the National Policing Board. We welcome the commitment made by HMICFRS to include recruitment in their inspections on disproportionality. Representative recruitment must be treated as a key measure of legitimacy in HMICFRS’ regular inspections.
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Government response AI summary
The government states that the Home Secretary, through the National Policing Board, already provides strong governance and oversight, holding the sector to account for strategic priorities that include building public trust, implying this encompasses representative recruitment and legitimacy.
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Home Office
39
Recommendation
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
The Home Secretary has powers in legislation to require HMICFRS inspections where there are concerns about force operational performance on particular matters, and to require specified measures in the face of persistent failings. Given the importance of representative recruitment to restoring legitimacy and confidence as well as the lack of …
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The Home Secretary has powers in legislation to require HMICFRS inspections where there are concerns about force operational performance on particular matters, and to require specified measures in the face of persistent failings. Given the importance of representative recruitment to restoring legitimacy and confidence as well as the lack of progress on this issue over decades since the Macpherson report, we recommend that the Home Secretary use these powers where forces continue to fail to make sufficient progress on recruitment. Where forces fall short of their target on new BME recruits after two years, HMICFRS should conduct detailed assessments and report to the Home Secretary and National Policing Board any forces which are still not demonstrating sufficient improvements, and the Home Secretary should use her powers to require the local policing body (the PCC/combined authority mayor) to take specified measures to address the concern.
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Government response AI summary
The government highlights its existing strong governance and oversight through the Home Secretary's National Policing Board and Police and Crime Commissioners, which collectively ensure accountability for policing priorities, rather than committing to the specific, triggered use of powers for HMICFRS inspections and required measures for …
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Home Office
40
Recommendation
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
We believe that most forces should be able to make rapid progress with clear targets and using the positive action provisions in the Equality Act 2010 we have identified. We heard concerns raised by the Metropolitan Police that some of the Equality Act provisions cannot be applied in the same …
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We believe that most forces should be able to make rapid progress with clear targets and using the positive action provisions in the Equality Act 2010 we have identified. We heard concerns raised by the Metropolitan Police that some of the Equality Act provisions cannot be applied in the same way to large volume recruitments of the kind that police forces undertake and that temporary changes to the legal framework are needed in order to make rapid progress during the current recruitment uplift. We note with interest Dame Cressida Dick’s proposal to make temporary changes to section 159 (4)(b) of the Equality Act 2010 for the remaining period of the police uplift programme. She argued that this would enable the police to accelerate the recruitment of meritorious Black and minority ethnic candidates by applying, in principle, the same tie breaker positive action method that is already legal in individual appointment decisions to large volume policing recruitment campaigns. We have not had the opportunity to take evidence on the workability or legal merits of Dame Cressida Dick’s proposition but we consider that a proposal on this issue from the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police is worthy of the most serious 182 The Macpherson Report: Twenty-two years on deliberation. We recommend the Home Office urgently investigates the feasibility of the Commissioner’s proposal and reports the outcome of this investigation to us at the first opportunity.
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Government response AI summary
The government outlines its comprehensive Police Uplift Programme, which is actively implementing various strategies like targeted attraction and best practice sharing to increase diversity in recruitment, but it does not commit to investigating the specific legislative change proposed by the Commissioner.
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Home Office
41
Recommendation
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Not Addressed
The significance of representation for the legitimacy of the police, and for the Peel principle that the police are the public and the public are the police, means that the Home Office must ensure that all forces can make the progress required to address historic underrepresentation, with all recruits meeting …
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The significance of representation for the legitimacy of the police, and for the Peel principle that the police are the public and the public are the police, means that the Home Office must ensure that all forces can make the progress required to address historic underrepresentation, with all recruits meeting the standards required from our police officers in order to sustain local legitimacy. We agree with former Greater Manchester Chief Constable Sir Peter Fahy that the police service holds a unique position with a need for legitimacy in its use of power and that, where appropriate, additional measures could be justified to ensure that the police are broadly representative. The Home Office should also work with the Law Commission on measures which might be considered where forces can show that tried and tested positive action measures have not successfully addressed historic underrepresentation, and where such additional measures might be required in order to sustain local legitimacy. This should include examining the Metropolitan Police proposal or other approaches, for example to broaden the tie breaker provisions so they can be more easily applied to larger recruitment processes–not just to individual appointments— or other ways to allow forces to give priority to suitably qualified BME candidates as, for example, attempted by Cheshire Police in 2017. Furthermore whether the proposal by Dame Cressida Dick is deemed feasible or not, we recommend that the Home Office affirms to forces that it wishes to see more progress against these measures and that Chief Constables and their senior officer teams will be held accountable for their success or failure in achieving representative recruitment.
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Government response AI summary
The government reiterates its commitment to increasing diversity through the Police Uplift Programme, which involves attraction strategies, national campaigns for diverse audiences, and sharing best practice. However, it does not specifically address the recommendation to examine proposals for broadening positive action provisions or to explicitly …
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Home Office
42
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
Without clear action we fear that in ten years’ time successors to our Committee will hear the very same arguments and evidence about recruitment and retention that have been rehearsed for over twenty years, and the effectiveness and legitimacy of the police service will be further undermined amongst those communities …
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Without clear action we fear that in ten years’ time successors to our Committee will hear the very same arguments and evidence about recruitment and retention that have been rehearsed for over twenty years, and the effectiveness and legitimacy of the police service will be further undermined amongst those communities and interest groups the police have committed to work with and represent. The Home Secretary has described the police recruitment programme as a “once in a lifetime opportunity” to create a police service that represents the communities it serves. That opportunity must not go to waste. (Paragraph 228) Police misconduct and discipline
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the 'once-in-a-generation opportunity' presented by the Police Uplift Programme to improve representation and describes the comprehensive programme of work, including various attraction and recruitment strategies, already being delivered across all forces.
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Home Office
43
Recommendation
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
There is clear racial disparity in the number of officers being dismissed from police forces—BME officers are more than twice as likely to be dismissed as White officers— and in the number of BME officers and staff being subjected to internal disciplinary processes. We welcome the recent work by the …
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There is clear racial disparity in the number of officers being dismissed from police forces—BME officers are more than twice as likely to be dismissed as White officers— and in the number of BME officers and staff being subjected to internal disciplinary processes. We welcome the recent work by the NPCC to instigate reforms. However it is extremely troubling that this disparity has been allowed to continue for so long without serious action being taken by police forces to investigate or address the problem.
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees with the finding of racial disparity in police dismissals and misconduct. It welcomes the NPCC's new Race Action Plan (May 2022) to address this and commits the Home Office to review the police misconduct system in summer 2022 to ensure fairness and …
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Home Office
44
Recommendation
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
It is completely unacceptable that forces’ data on ethnic disparity in police misconduct has been inconsistent and incomplete to the point where it cannot be understood or acted upon. We are appalled that it has not been possible for us even to assess the extent of racial disparities in the …
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It is completely unacceptable that forces’ data on ethnic disparity in police misconduct has been inconsistent and incomplete to the point where it cannot be understood or acted upon. We are appalled that it has not been possible for us even to assess the extent of racial disparities in the misconduct system fully due to inadequacies The Macpherson Report: Twenty-two years on 183 in data gathering by forces. We welcome the recent agreement between the Home Office and NPCC to gather more comprehensive, comparable information this year. However it is unacceptable that it has taken a full six years after HMICFRS warned about the problem for the Home Office and the majority of individual police forces to manage to establish effective, comparable ways of collecting data. Remarkably, the IOPC had not deemed it necessary to gather information by ethnicity in advance of us raising the issue with them. This combined failure by the Home Office, national policing organisations and police forces to conduct rigorous and systematic analysis of misconduct data for so long demonstrates the complacency regarding this issue across the police service.
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Government response AI summary
The government welcomes the NPCC's new Race Action Plan (May 2022), which commits to ensuring misconduct data is published consistently and fully broken down by ethnicity for all forces. The Home Office will also review the police misconduct system in summer 2022.
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Home Office
45
Recommendation
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted in Part
We take some encouragement from the NPCC’s national review into ethnic disparity in police misconduct and the work done by some individual forces to attempt to close the gap. The follow-up work from this review which has been reported to us in 2021 shows that the NPCC has recognised and …
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We take some encouragement from the NPCC’s national review into ethnic disparity in police misconduct and the work done by some individual forces to attempt to close the gap. The follow-up work from this review which has been reported to us in 2021 shows that the NPCC has recognised and accepts the need to prioritise correction of these failings. However, it is essential that progress is consistently monitored and reported transparently across all forces. Progress in implementing the NPCC review recommendations should be subject to an HMICFRS audit after two years.
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Government response AI summary
The government welcomes the new Race Action Plan (May 2022), which will ensure consistent publication of misconduct data broken down by ethnicity. The Home Office will also review the police misconduct system with NPCC and IOPC, with terms set in summer 2022, to ensure fairness …
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Home Office
46
Recommendation
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted in Part
Police forces must act swiftly to address perceptions that Professional Standards Departments are marked by institutionally racist practices. In addition, forces must address unacceptable racial disproportionality in their composition: it is totally unacceptable that 63% of all Professional Standards Departments include no BME police officers at all. We welcome the …
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Police forces must act swiftly to address perceptions that Professional Standards Departments are marked by institutionally racist practices. In addition, forces must address unacceptable racial disproportionality in their composition: it is totally unacceptable that 63% of all Professional Standards Departments include no BME police officers at all. We welcome the work done by some forces, reported in the NPCC’s most recent review, to draw on BME advisors as well as seeking to address the lack of BME representation in PSDs, but all forces need to address this and demonstrate progress by the end of 2021. The NPCC should conduct a specific review into this issue and report within a year. (Paragraph 270) Stop and search
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Government response AI summary
The government welcomes the NPCC and College of Policing's new Race Action Plan, to be published in May 2022, which will address disproportionality in misconduct cases and ensure consistent data publication. The Home Office also commits to reviewing the police misconduct system with the NPCC …
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Home Office
47
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
Twenty-two years on from the publication of the Macpherson report there remains a serious problem with racial disproportionality in stop and search. Black people are over nine and a half times more likely to be stopped and searched than White people. Despite the Macpherson report and the concerns raised and …
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Twenty-two years on from the publication of the Macpherson report there remains a serious problem with racial disproportionality in stop and search. Black people are over nine and a half times more likely to be stopped and searched than White people. Despite the Macpherson report and the concerns raised and recommendations by many other community and policing organisations over the last two decades, the disproportionality is greater now than it was when the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry concluded. We agree with HMICFRS that these disparities undermine legitimacy, which is fundamental to the British model of policing by consent.
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Government response AI summary
The government defends the use of stop and search, acknowledging the importance of fair use and proper monitoring. It commits to improving accountability and transparency for perceived disproportionality through s.163 data collection pilots and considering new metrics for stop and search rates.
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Home Office
48
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
Stop and search is an important police power and the Macpherson report’s conclusion that it has a useful role to play in the prevention and detection of crime still applies. However the nature of the unexplained and unjustified racial disparities, and the way we have seen stop and search used, …
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Stop and search is an important police power and the Macpherson report’s conclusion that it has a useful role to play in the prevention and detection of crime still applies. However the nature of the unexplained and unjustified racial disparities, and the way we have seen stop and search used, has too often damaged confidence both in stop and search itself and in policing by consent for the BME communities most affected by it. That confidence needs to be rebuilt. Policing needs to be fair and seen to be fair. (Paragraph 367) 184 The Macpherson Report: Twenty-two years on
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Government response AI summary
The government supports stop and search, highlighting its effectiveness, but acknowledges the need for better accountability and transparency. They are considering a range of metrics and deferring a decision on s.163 data collection pending pilot findings and consultation.
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Home Office
49
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
No evidence to this inquiry has adequately explained or justified the nature and scale of the disproportionality in the use of stop and search powers. This is especially the case for searches for the possession of drugs where evidence shows that Black people are less likely than White people to …
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No evidence to this inquiry has adequately explained or justified the nature and scale of the disproportionality in the use of stop and search powers. This is especially the case for searches for the possession of drugs where evidence shows that Black people are less likely than White people to have used drugs in the last year, but are 2.4 times more likely to be stopped and searched for drug possession.
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Government response AI summary
The government defends the use of stop and search, acknowledges the importance of fair use and monitoring for perceived disproportionality, and commits to piloting s.163 Road Traffic Act data collection and considering a range of metrics for stop and search rates.
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Home Office
50
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Not Addressed
We recognise the importance of the police being able to take action against knife crime, and their concern that victims and perpetrators of knife crime are disproportionately Black, but we also note that this does not explain the fact that there are significant racial disparities in stop and searches in …
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We recognise the importance of the police being able to take action against knife crime, and their concern that victims and perpetrators of knife crime are disproportionately Black, but we also note that this does not explain the fact that there are significant racial disparities in stop and searches in every force in the country, with some of the highest levels of disproportionality in areas with very low levels of knife crime.
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Government response AI summary
The government defends the use of stop and search for tackling serious violence and highlights the importance of fair use and monitoring. However, it does not address the committee's specific finding that knife crime does not explain widespread racial disparities in stop and search.
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Home Office
51
Recommendation
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Not Addressed
The manner in which police forces conduct stop and search is particularly important in determining how that stop will be perceived both by the individual who is searched and their wider community. We heard troubling examples of stops and searches being conducted in a manner that was deeply alienating and …
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The manner in which police forces conduct stop and search is particularly important in determining how that stop will be perceived both by the individual who is searched and their wider community. We heard troubling examples of stops and searches being conducted in a manner that was deeply alienating and uncomfortable. Given that the majority of people stopped and searched are not found to be committing any crime, it is extremely important that all stops are initiated in a respectful and appropriate manner, and care is taken to manage conflict and de-escalate encounters where necessary.
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Government response AI summary
The government defends the use of stop and search, stating that powers should be used fairly and properly. However, it offers no specific commitments or actions to improve the respectful manner or de-escalation of stop and search encounters.
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Home Office
52
Recommendation
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Not Addressed
Stop and search needs to be used in a focused and targeted way. When it is not, it leads to injustice and to too many people being searched without good reason. The Metropolitan Police increased their use of stop and search during the early months of the first national covid-19 …
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Stop and search needs to be used in a focused and targeted way. When it is not, it leads to injustice and to too many people being searched without good reason. The Metropolitan Police increased their use of stop and search during the early months of the first national covid-19 lockdown to the highest levels seen in London for many years and they did so at a time when far fewer people were on the streets. They were wrong to do so: the result was that far more people who were not committing crimes were stopped and searched, the proportion of searches which found weapons or drugs dropped, and the racial disparity widened. It should never have been possible for the equivalent of 1 in 4 Black males between the ages of 15 and 24 in London who were not committing a crime to be stopped and searched during a three-month period. This finding undermines arguments that stop and search was being used judiciously during this time. The Metropolitan Police has reduced the number of stop and searches in London since then but the impact of stop and search policies during that period was very damaging for community confidence not just in London but across the country.
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Government response AI summary
The government defends the use of stop and search and the need for fair use and monitoring, but does not address the recommendation for focused and targeted use or the specific criticism of the Metropolitan Police's past unfocused operations.
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Home Office
53
Recommendation
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
In the twenty-two years since the Macpherson report there have been different attempts to reform the way stop and search has worked, but there has been little progress in addressing the unexplained and unjustified racial disparities or building confidence among BME communities. Despite the fact that basic, sensible policy recommendations …
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In the twenty-two years since the Macpherson report there have been different attempts to reform the way stop and search has worked, but there has been little progress in addressing the unexplained and unjustified racial disparities or building confidence among BME communities. Despite the fact that basic, sensible policy recommendations have been made over many years including by HMICFRS, and we have seen some excellent local work done between police forces and local communities to tackle problems, too often these recommendations and initiatives have been piecemeal and not widely implemented or sustained. That needs to change urgently. Police forces and the Home Office need to take these failures seriously. In particular, we are very perplexed and disappointed that the ongoing recommendations made by HMICFRS since 2017 aimed at improving how stop and The Macpherson Report: Twenty-two years on 185 search is used are still not being adopted by all forces. The Home Office, NPCC and APCC need to agree a clear action plan endorsed by the National Policing Board to ensure that all forces are following the HMICFRS recommendations.
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Government response AI summary
The government supports the use of stop and search, acknowledges the need for improved accountability, and commits to continuing to work with NPCC, APCC, and HMICFRS to explore how policing bodies can take forward recommendations and deliver a whole-sector approach. As part of "Inclusive Britain", …
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Home Office
54
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Deferred
We are very concerned about shortcomings in data collection and transparency with regard to stop and search powers. It is inexcusable that forces do not have proper monitoring and oversight systems in place. In particular, there is far too great a disparity in the detail and consistency by which the …
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We are very concerned about shortcomings in data collection and transparency with regard to stop and search powers. It is inexcusable that forces do not have proper monitoring and oversight systems in place. In particular, there is far too great a disparity in the detail and consistency by which the tactic is monitored and recorded across all forces. We fully concur with the recent HMICFRS recommendation that, by December 2021, the Home Office should agree, nationally, a minimum standard for monitoring stop and search powers. This should include the recording and monitoring of the ethnicity of those who are subject to road traffic stops, as first recommended by Macpherson and his advisers over twenty-two years ago.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the need for improved accountability and transparency but defers a final decision on requiring data collection for s.163 road traffic stops until ongoing pilots and NPCC consultation are considered. It also commits to considering a range of stop and search metrics with …
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Home Office
55
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Rejected
The lack of evidence available about the effectiveness of stop and search in reducing serious violence crime has contributed to scepticism about the basis for using the powers and therefore a lack of confidence in them. The Home Office should fill this evidential gap by commissioning a fully independent and …
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The lack of evidence available about the effectiveness of stop and search in reducing serious violence crime has contributed to scepticism about the basis for using the powers and therefore a lack of confidence in them. The Home Office should fill this evidential gap by commissioning a fully independent and comprehensive research study of stop and search tactics to better inform policy decisions at a central and local level. That study should necessarily focus on, but not be limited to, the effect of different stop and search powers on levels of crime; locality type (urban, rural); the type of stop deployed; the grounds and find rate. We advise that any such study should be longitudinal in design to allow researchers to map and identify trends over time with the expectation that they share regular updates in the interests of transparency and public scrutiny.
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Government response AI summary
The government rejects commissioning a new independent and comprehensive research study, stating that it has already enhanced data collection and will focus on utilizing this data to drive action and transparency, as outlined in the Inclusive Britain report, before considering further research.
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Home Office
56
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Not Addressed
Police forces need to take very seriously their responsibility to address racial disparities in the way people are treated in their local communities. Too many forces are unable to explain the levels of racial disparities in their area and are still not engaging in serious attempts to monitor and explain …
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Police forces need to take very seriously their responsibility to address racial disparities in the way people are treated in their local communities. Too many forces are unable to explain the levels of racial disparities in their area and are still not engaging in serious attempts to monitor and explain or to change their approach. All forces must ensure they now do so in line with the HMICFRS recommendations. All forces must also put a proper system in place for conducting internal reviews of body worn video to ensure stop and searches are being carried out in line with College of Policing stop and search guidance.
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Government response AI summary
The government's response largely discusses general support for stop and search and considering metrics for disproportionality as part of the Inclusive Britain report, but does not specifically address the recommendation for all forces to put systems in place for internal reviews of body worn video …
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Home Office
57
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted in Part
We have heard about a number of important initiatives designed to improve the experience of stops, and particularly welcome those referred to in this report that have been introduced by both BME community leaders and police forces to foster more honest and transparent discussion about stop and search. However, there …
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We have heard about a number of important initiatives designed to improve the experience of stops, and particularly welcome those referred to in this report that have been introduced by both BME community leaders and police forces to foster more honest and transparent discussion about stop and search. However, there are clear gaps in police communication, conflict management and de-escalation training which need to be addressed so that police officers can use stop and search effectively and fairly as a tool in tackling crime. As recommended by HMICFRS, forces should ensure officers and staff receive training on effective communication skills, in line with the National Policing Guidelines on Conflict Management; this should be provided in addition to existing training on conflict management and de- escalation.
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees on the importance of training and states that existing training and guidelines, including new conflict management guidelines, are already in place and part of the new curriculum. It further commits to supporting a review and delivery of any necessary improvements to de-escalation …
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Home Office
58
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted in Part
We believe that the confidence of local communities will only be earned if there is proper, independent oversight of stop and search, by the community at a local level and, at a national level, by HMICFRS and the Home Office. All forces should ensure 186 The Macpherson Report: Twenty-two years …
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We believe that the confidence of local communities will only be earned if there is proper, independent oversight of stop and search, by the community at a local level and, at a national level, by HMICFRS and the Home Office. All forces should ensure 186 The Macpherson Report: Twenty-two years on that in addition to their internal reviews of body worn video, they also put arrangements in place for external reviews of body worn video involving community representatives both to build confidence and ensure improvements are made. (Paragraph 425) Use of police technologies and tools
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges that external reviews of body worn video with community panels are already happening in 'a number of forces' and commits to exploring how best to facilitate wider sharing of BWV footage with local scrutiny panels and sharing best practice to improve scrutiny.
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Home Office
59
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
New policing technologies have developed in the decades since the Macpherson report. These technologies, which clearly could not have been considered by the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry, have given rise to similar kinds of issues about the importance of sustaining confidence among minority ethnic communities, avoiding racial disparities and ensuring fairness …
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New policing technologies have developed in the decades since the Macpherson report. These technologies, which clearly could not have been considered by the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry, have given rise to similar kinds of issues about the importance of sustaining confidence among minority ethnic communities, avoiding racial disparities and ensuring fairness in policing. Too often we have seen evidence of new measures or technologies being introduced without sensitivity to the potential impact on race disparities or community confidence. It is vital that police forces, policing institutions and the Home Office have systems in place to ensure that new technology or new measures are implemented fairly, without racial bias and without widening unfair racial disparities. (Paragraph 465
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees it is vital to have processes and governance for fair and proportionate use of new technology, and commits to working with policing partners to support the development of a national ethics framework for policing. This framework is expected to underpin high-quality impact …
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Home Office
60
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted in Part
The Metropolitan Police developed the Gangs Violence Matrix as a new way to provide intelligence to tackle serious gang related violence and crime in London, but without robust systems in place to consider racial disproportionality on the database, ensure proper oversight or sustain community confidence. As a result, considerable community …
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The Metropolitan Police developed the Gangs Violence Matrix as a new way to provide intelligence to tackle serious gang related violence and crime in London, but without robust systems in place to consider racial disproportionality on the database, ensure proper oversight or sustain community confidence. As a result, considerable community concern grew about the use of the database and the high levels of racial disproportionality. The MOPAC review of the database and the commitments since by MOPAC and the Metropolitan Police Service to reform the Gangs Violence Matrix since 2018 are welcome. It is important that MOPAC’s commitment to provide oversight and monitor disproportionality on the Matrix is followed through as part of wider efforts to monitor the potential for racial bias in policing tools as a matter of course.
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Government response AI summary
The government commits to developing a national ethics framework for policing which will apply to new technologies and data processing, addressing the 'wider efforts' part of the recommendation. However, it does not explicitly refer to MOPAC's commitment regarding the Gangs Violence Matrix.
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Home Office
61
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
More recently, the serious concerns raised about disproportionality in the use of Fixed Penalty Notices as part of police enforcement of the covid-19 regulations provide cautionary evidence about the need for care and oversight in the way new policing powers are introduced. In the first lockdown Black people were 1.8 …
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More recently, the serious concerns raised about disproportionality in the use of Fixed Penalty Notices as part of police enforcement of the covid-19 regulations provide cautionary evidence about the need for care and oversight in the way new policing powers are introduced. In the first lockdown Black people were 1.8 times more likely to be subject to covid enforcement measures than White people.
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Government response AI summary
The government recognises the concerns about disproportionality in COVID-19 Fixed Penalty Notices and highlights that the NPCC routinely publishes data, has commissioned an independent analysis to be published, and is committed to an action plan for improving diversity and focusing on power use.
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Home Office
62
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
Evidence of disproportionality must be carefully considered and presented transparently, with robust systems of independent oversight. Although the NPCC conducted a detailed analysis of the use of covid Fixed Penalty Notices by ethnicity during the first lockdown, in response to issues raised in the media and questions from this Committee, …
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Evidence of disproportionality must be carefully considered and presented transparently, with robust systems of independent oversight. Although the NPCC conducted a detailed analysis of the use of covid Fixed Penalty Notices by ethnicity during the first lockdown, in response to issues raised in the media and questions from this Committee, we note with concern that neither the NPCC nor the Home Office have published any further analysis of covid-19 enforcement by ethnicity during subsequent restrictions or lockdowns even though they know there is an unexplained racial disparity. Leaving it to individual forces to follow up is not good enough, especially when the NPCC has pointed out that data analysis is more difficult at local level where smaller numbers are involved. The NPCC and Home Office should be continuing to monitor the data to see whether the racial disparity persists, what the reasons are behind it, and what action may be needed to ensure that there is no unfairness or racial injustice in the use of new powers. (Paragraph 468) The Macpherson Report: Twenty-two years on 187
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Government response AI summary
The government responds by stating that the NPCC routinely publishes data on COVID-19 Fixed Penalty Notices, has commissioned an independent analysis of FPNs by demographic group to be published, and is committed to an action plan to improve diversity across forces, directly addressing the recommendation …
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Home Office
63
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted in Part
New technologies have the potential either to re-build community confidence and/ or to badly damage it, depending on the technology, on the way it is introduced and the nature of the oversight. The introduction of police body-worn cameras, if done properly, is a new technology that could help to rebuild …
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New technologies have the potential either to re-build community confidence and/ or to badly damage it, depending on the technology, on the way it is introduced and the nature of the oversight. The introduction of police body-worn cameras, if done properly, is a new technology that could help to rebuild community confidence. As we have recommended in the previous chapter, it has an essential role to play in ensuring that stop and search is done fairly under proper oversight. But it is important that body-worn video is used consistently, rather than being left to individual officer discretion. Footage must be provided as part of structured processes of oversight and review, both internally and externally, to facilitate lessons being learned and openness with the public.
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Government response AI summary
The government highlights that updated guidance for BWV use, supervisory review, and sharing footage with scrutiny panels was issued in July 2020 and adopted by most forces. It also commits to exploring how best to facilitate sharing BWV footage with local scrutiny panels and to …
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Home Office
64
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
The police are currently exploring other new technologies such as live facial recognition technology, where serious consideration is needed of the way the technology might apply for different communities and any consequences for racial disparities.
Government response AI summary
The government commits to supporting the development of a national ethics framework for policing, which will underpin high-quality impact assessments for new technologies to ensure fair and proportionate use.
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Home Office
65
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
As new policing technologies, tools and powers are developed, it is important that there are robust and credible processes in place both to guard against the risk of importing or exacerbating racial disparities and to maximise their potential to demonstrate fairness and build consent in the public.
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As new policing technologies, tools and powers are developed, it is important that there are robust and credible processes in place both to guard against the risk of importing or exacerbating racial disparities and to maximise their potential to demonstrate fairness and build consent in the public.
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Government response AI summary
The government commits to supporting the development of a national ethics framework for policing, which will underpin high-quality impact assessments for new technologies to ensure fair and proportionate use.
Read full response →
Home Office
66
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
Under the Equality Act 2010 the Home Office and the police have a legal duty to consider the equality impact of new policies, measures or technologies on race equality or other protected characteristics. We do not believe that this responsibility is currently being taken seriously enough. The Home Office, NPCC …
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Under the Equality Act 2010 the Home Office and the police have a legal duty to consider the equality impact of new policies, measures or technologies on race equality or other protected characteristics. We do not believe that this responsibility is currently being taken seriously enough. The Home Office, NPCC and College of Policing should work together to identify the range of new policing technologies or measures for which national race equality assessments should be done or where new research and data gathering is needed to anticipate, monitor or swiftly address unjustified race disparities. (Paragraph 472) Racism and the police twenty-two years on
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Government response AI summary
The government commits to working with the NPCC and College of Policing to develop a national ethics framework, which will include high-quality impact assessments for new technologies to address racial disparities, directly responding to the call for collaboration on race equality assessments.
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Home Office
67
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
The murder of George Floyd and its global impact shone a spotlight on the race inequality and injustice that are still features of our society. It is an important step forward that political and policing leaders have come together in recognition of the fact that racial injustice persists in our …
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The murder of George Floyd and its global impact shone a spotlight on the race inequality and injustice that are still features of our society. It is an important step forward that political and policing leaders have come together in recognition of the fact that racial injustice persists in our society and have expressed determination to eliminate it as well as starting to introduce reforms. However, it should not have required video footage of the murder of a Black man by a police officer and the ensuing Black Lives Matter protests to concentrate the minds of the Government and the police on the imperative of race equality.
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Government response AI summary
The government welcomes the report and acknowledges that more work is needed to improve trust and confidence in policing among black and ethnic minority groups.
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Home Office
68
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
This report recognises the many significant changes that have been made on issues raised in the Macpherson report twenty-two years ago, including the major improvements in the way the police deal with racist crimes, and the public commitments by forces and senior officers to diversity and race equality. We also …
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This report recognises the many significant changes that have been made on issues raised in the Macpherson report twenty-two years ago, including the major improvements in the way the police deal with racist crimes, and the public commitments by forces and senior officers to diversity and race equality. We also welcome the increased focus on race equality over the last twelve months. However, our inquiry has also identified very serious and persistent shortcomings across the police service with regard to racial inequalities and racism in important areas that still have not been addressed after more than two decades. The central aim of the 188 The Macpherson Report: Twenty-two years on 70 recommendations published by Macpherson was to “eliminate racist prejudice and disadvantage and demonstrate fairness in aspects of policing”. More than two decades later this aim still has not been met.
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Government response AI summary
The government welcomes the report, acknowledging improvements but also recognising the need for further work to build trust and confidence in policing among black and ethnic minority groups.
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Home Office
69
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
Individual bias and prejudice have no place in policing. Where they persist they must be strongly challenged, including through robust disciplinary action and dismissals for unacceptable racist behaviour. Individual forces must be vigilant and proactive in shaping their organisational culture, with training and management systems in place to address the …
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Individual bias and prejudice have no place in policing. Where they persist they must be strongly challenged, including through robust disciplinary action and dismissals for unacceptable racist behaviour. Individual forces must be vigilant and proactive in shaping their organisational culture, with training and management systems in place to address the conscious and unconscious biases and prejudices of individual officers.
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Government response AI summary
The government commits to supporting the College and NPCC by autumn 2024 to review and deliver improvements to police officer training in de-escalation and conflict management, and highlights the new 'Race Action Plan' which includes measures to improve policing confidence among black people.
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Home Office
70
Recommendation
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted in Part
Training for officers in addressing racism and valuing cultural diversity remains as important now as it was when the Macpherson report recommended it twenty-two years ago. But we are concerned by the disproportionate reliance on unconscious bias training that was apparent in the evidence we received. We recommend that training …
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Training for officers in addressing racism and valuing cultural diversity remains as important now as it was when the Macpherson report recommended it twenty-two years ago. But we are concerned by the disproportionate reliance on unconscious bias training that was apparent in the evidence we received. We recommend that training involves an explicit focus on anti-racism which should include examining racial disparities and seeking to reduce differences in experience and outcomes by racial and ethnic group.
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Government response AI summary
The government commits to supporting the College and NPCC by autumn 2024 to review and improve police officer training in de-escalation and conflict management, and refers to the 'Race Action Plan' which includes measures to improve policing.
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Home Office
71
Recommendation
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted in Part
We would like to see consistency in the quality and content of training delivered at a local and service wide level. To this end we recommend a comprehensive review and overhaul of training on racism, diversity and equality, led by the College of Policing and assisted by the Home Office. …
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We would like to see consistency in the quality and content of training delivered at a local and service wide level. To this end we recommend a comprehensive review and overhaul of training on racism, diversity and equality, led by the College of Policing and assisted by the Home Office. Its purpose should be to draw up clear national standards on anti-racist training for all police officers and staff. It should consider specifically how to involve local communities in drawing up training programmes and ways to draw on the experience of those who face the consequences of racism in the communities the police serve. It should include training to identify and question racial disparities within structures, policy and institutional culture, in addition to unconscious bias.
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Government response AI summary
The government commits to supporting the College and NPCC by autumn 2024 to review and improve police officer training in de-escalation and conflict management, and references the new 'Race Action Plan', but does not explicitly commit to a comprehensive overhaul for national anti-racist training standards …
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Home Office
72
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
It is essential also for leaders to set an example by undertaking this anti-racism training, shaping the organisational culture of their forces, confronting unfair behaviour among officers and addressing structures that disadvantage and discriminate.
Government response AI summary
The government references general training improvements for police officers, including a review of de-escalation skills training by autumn 2024, and the new 'Race Action Plan', but does not explicitly detail how leaders will specifically undertake anti-racism training or implement the other suggested actions.
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Home Office
73
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
The Public Sector Equality Duty and the Equality Act 2010 are a part of the legacy of the Macpherson Report’s important work on institutional racism, as they build on the race equality duty that was introduced in response to the report’s findings. Under the Act the police, as public bodies, …
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The Public Sector Equality Duty and the Equality Act 2010 are a part of the legacy of the Macpherson Report’s important work on institutional racism, as they build on the race equality duty that was introduced in response to the report’s findings. Under the Act the police, as public bodies, must have due regard to the need to eliminate unlawful discrimination and advance race equality. They have a responsibility as institutions to tackle indirect as well as direct discrimination including taking steps to prevent inequality not just to respond once it arises. But whilst police forces have set out broad public strategies to do this, progress has been too weak in practice and we do not believe that policing has taken seriously enough its responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 in recent years.
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Government response AI summary
The government responds by highlighting past and ongoing significant progress in policing since the Macpherson Report, including strengthened accountability, improved data collection, and efforts to attract diverse officers, implying that the issues raised are being addressed.
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Home Office
74
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
Since the Macpherson report was published there have been important and welcome improvements in policing, and we have found that policing today is very different from twenty-two years ago. Our inquiry has seen evidence of significant improvements in the policing of racist crimes and hate crimes: in the commitment of …
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Since the Macpherson report was published there have been important and welcome improvements in policing, and we have found that policing today is very different from twenty-two years ago. Our inquiry has seen evidence of significant improvements in the policing of racist crimes and hate crimes: in the commitment of forces and senior officers to promoting diversity and equality, in good examples The Macpherson Report: Twenty-two years on 189 of local community policing, in new policies and recent progress among some forces in recruitment. That is of course the very least we would expect in the several decades since Stephen Lawrence’s murder.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the indelible impact of the Macpherson Report and outlines significant progress made in policing since its publication, including strengthened accountability, improved data collection, and efforts to recruit a more diverse police force.
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Home Office
75
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
But our inquiry has also found that despite many years of commitments being made to race equality by the police service and the Home Office, there are still persistent, deep rooted and unjustified racial disparities in key areas. The failure to make sufficient progress on BME recruitment, retention and progression, …
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But our inquiry has also found that despite many years of commitments being made to race equality by the police service and the Home Office, there are still persistent, deep rooted and unjustified racial disparities in key areas. The failure to make sufficient progress on BME recruitment, retention and progression, troubling race disparities in the police misconduct system, unjustified inequalities in the use of key police powers such as stop and search and a worrying decline in confidence and trust in the police among some BME communities point to structural problems which disadvantage BME groups. Examination of individual bias without also directly focusing on the processes that enable disparities in outcomes will not improve the experiences of BME groups. We are most concerned about those areas where police forces are not taking even the most basic action to implement existing recommendations aimed at tackling racism or, where they have failed to collate rigorous and consistent data that would allow them to investigate, understand and address racial disparities or injustices that arise.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the historical context of racial equality in policing, outlining existing progress and ongoing initiatives such as reforms to police discipline and complaints systems, improvements in data collection, and efforts to recruit a more diverse police force.
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Home Office
76
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
Our objective has been to consider progress, twenty-two years on, against the key Macpherson themes and recommendations which we set out in chapter one. We have not sought to carry out the kind of in-depth exercise in respect of individual policing institutions that either Macpherson conducted into the Metropolitan Police …
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Our objective has been to consider progress, twenty-two years on, against the key Macpherson themes and recommendations which we set out in chapter one. We have not sought to carry out the kind of in-depth exercise in respect of individual policing institutions that either Macpherson conducted into the Metropolitan Police or that Wendy Williams conducted into the Home Office. As a result, we have not been in a position to apply the tests of institutional racism that, for example, Wendy Williams used (see paragraph 545) but nor was that our intention in this inquiry. However, the breadth of our inquiry and our analysis of the evidence we have gathered in relation to the different recommendations specified by Sir William Macpherson has led us to the following conclusions.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the committee's work and highlights past progress in policing reforms, data collection, and recruitment, referring to the "Inclusive Britain" response for future measures to improve accountability and tackle disparities.
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Home Office
77
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
Firstly, we take extremely seriously the views of Black and minority ethnic police organisations who repeatedly told us that they continue to experience and bear witness to institutional racism in our police forces today, and believe that this testimony alone should be grounds enough for policing leaders, the Home Office …
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Firstly, we take extremely seriously the views of Black and minority ethnic police organisations who repeatedly told us that they continue to experience and bear witness to institutional racism in our police forces today, and believe that this testimony alone should be grounds enough for policing leaders, the Home Office and Government to take seriously the imperative for change across policing institutions and practice. Like MOPAC, we consider the fact that the question as to whether police forces and policing practice are institutionally racist is still being asked and debated demonstrates how much more work needs to be done to ensure the police service has the trust and confidence of BME communities.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the committee's work and points to significant progress in policing since Macpherson, including reforms, data improvements, and recruitment. It states that the "Inclusive Britain" response will deliver measures to improve accountability and tackle negative disparities.
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Home Office
78
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
Secondly, the evidence we have gathered shows that the impetus for change from the “clarion call” of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry has not been sustained. In 1999 the House of Commons was told by the then Home Secretary that the changes required by the Macpherson report would “work only if …
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Secondly, the evidence we have gathered shows that the impetus for change from the “clarion call” of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry has not been sustained. In 1999 the House of Commons was told by the then Home Secretary that the changes required by the Macpherson report would “work only if they are systemic–embraced by the culture of the police force as well as in its practice, implemented in the mainstream of the service at every level”. Our findings have shown that whilst the mainstream of the service has changed substantially in some areas - for example on the response to racist crimes - in others such as recruitment, misconduct or community confidence, essential changes have yet to be embraced. (Paragraph 555) 190 The Macpherson Report: Twenty-two years on
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Government response AI summary
The government asserts that significant progress has been made since the Macpherson Report, citing strengthened police accountability, improved data, a diverse recruitment drive, and measures outlined in the 'Inclusive Britain' report to tackle disparities.
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Home Office
79
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
We recognise that the devolved nature of policing means that there are variations in policies, cultures and outcomes between individual forces and institutions. However, based on the evidence we have received, we believe that whilst there have been improvements in important areas, there are continued shortcomings that go beyond individual …
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We recognise that the devolved nature of policing means that there are variations in policies, cultures and outcomes between individual forces and institutions. However, based on the evidence we have received, we believe that whilst there have been improvements in important areas, there are continued shortcomings that go beyond individual bias and that amount to a systematic failure on the part of the police service and governments, over many years, to take race inequality in policing seriously enough and as a result to eliminate it from policing in line with the objective set by Macpherson over two decades ago.
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the committee's work and highlights significant progress made in policing over the past two decades through reforms, improved data collection, and diverse recruitment, outlining ongoing efforts to build on this progress via the "Inclusive Britain" response.
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Home Office
80
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Not Addressed
Thirdly, we note the different approaches to assessing “institutional racism”—the description in the Macpherson report, the six tests developed by Wendy Williams, the criteria proposed by the Sewell Commission, and the approach to assessing and tackling discrimination and racism within public institutions set out in the Equality Act 2010. We …
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Thirdly, we note the different approaches to assessing “institutional racism”—the description in the Macpherson report, the six tests developed by Wendy Williams, the criteria proposed by the Sewell Commission, and the approach to assessing and tackling discrimination and racism within public institutions set out in the Equality Act 2010. We believe that the concept of institutional racism set out by the Macpherson report remains extremely important today and that institutions must be able to challenge themselves and to be held publicly to account over inequalities in outcomes, and racism manifested through policies and procedures, as well as within individual attitudes.
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Government response AI summary
The government's response outlines past progress in policing reforms and diversity recruitment, and refers to the "Inclusive Britain" response for future actions to improve accountability, but does not directly address the committee's specific observations on the concept of institutional racism.
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Home Office
81
Recommendation
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
We believe that it would therefore be helpful to build consensus around a framework for measuring and assessing institutional racism within individual organisations, using the approach Wendy Williams applied in her consideration of the operations of the Home Office as a starting point. We recommend that the Equality and Human …
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We believe that it would therefore be helpful to build consensus around a framework for measuring and assessing institutional racism within individual organisations, using the approach Wendy Williams applied in her consideration of the operations of the Home Office as a starting point. We recommend that the Equality and Human Rights Commission undertakes work to determine a framework against which individual institutions including police forces should be rigorously assessed.
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Home Office
82
Recommendation
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
Fourthly, police forces must strengthen their approach to tackling the systemic problems of race inequality that we have identified. Forces should adopt the approach set out in the David Lammy review of the Criminal Justice System: explain or change. That must mean monitoring, assessing and robustly investigating race disparities so …
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Fourthly, police forces must strengthen their approach to tackling the systemic problems of race inequality that we have identified. Forces should adopt the approach set out in the David Lammy review of the Criminal Justice System: explain or change. That must mean monitoring, assessing and robustly investigating race disparities so that only robust and evidence-based explanations are accepted; and where forces cannot explain disparities, they must set out changes to eliminate them. At a national level, policing organisations and the Home Office should be holding forces accountable for doing so. Recent comments by Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, Dame Cressida Dick and Martin Hewitt, as well as new initiatives from the NPCC, HMICFRS, the IOPC and from individual PCCs and Chief Constables suggest that police leaders recognise the importance now of taking a ‘big step forward’—but they must now make good on their intent by rigorously examining their institutions, explaining the disparities we have highlighted, or changing their organisations and practices to eradicate them.
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees on the need to monitor trust and confidence, stating they already collect extensive ethnicity data and will continue to explore improvements in data recording. They note that the National Policing Board includes public trust as a strategic priority.
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Home Office
83
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
The Macpherson report led to major changes in attitudes towards racism and to progress on race equality both in policing and across society. However that early momentum was not sustained and persistent problems were not addressed. Now that there is a new focus on challenging racism and on the very …
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The Macpherson report led to major changes in attitudes towards racism and to progress on race equality both in policing and across society. However that early momentum was not sustained and persistent problems were not addressed. Now that there is a new focus on challenging racism and on the very same objectives set out by the Macpherson report, it is vital that this time progress is sustained and made permanent. It will take a focused, sustained and determined effort on the part of all policing institutions and Government to address those structural The Macpherson Report: Twenty-two years on 191 problems that stand in the way of eliminating racist prejudice and disadvantage, and demonstrating fairness in all aspects of policing—the ambition of the Macpherson report twenty-two years ago. (Paragraph 560) Delivery and Accountability
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the committee's report and emphasizes the significant progress made in policing since Macpherson, including reforms, improved data collection, and diverse recruitment. It refers to the "Inclusive Britain" response for future measures to enhance accountability and address disparities.
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Home Office
84
Recommendation
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
Twenty-two years on, police forces need to take responsibility for the lack of progress in vital areas raised by the Macpherson report. Individual forces and Chief Constables have considerable scope within their own organisations and communities to increase BME recruitment, establish fair misconduct processes, and build trust with local communities …
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Twenty-two years on, police forces need to take responsibility for the lack of progress in vital areas raised by the Macpherson report. Individual forces and Chief Constables have considerable scope within their own organisations and communities to increase BME recruitment, establish fair misconduct processes, and build trust with local communities over stop and search policies. Police and Crime Commissioners also have considerable scope to hold their Chief Constables and forces to account, or to pursue measures like BME recruitment targets or additional oversight arrangements involving local Black and minority ethnic communities. Yet whilst policing has changed in many ways for the better in the last two decades, in these key areas affecting race equality too little progress has been made. Many Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners are not doing enough to tackle the problems or to recognise the additional work still needed to achieve the objective William Macpherson set out twenty-two years ago of “the elimination of racist prejudice and disadvantage and the demonstration of fairness in all aspects of policing”.
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Government response AI summary
The government outlines significant progress made since the Macpherson report, including strengthened police accountability, improved data collection, and a drive to recruit diverse officers. It refers to the 'Inclusive Britain' report for further measures to improve accountability and tackle disparities.
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Home Office
85
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
The wide variation among forces in the approaches taken and outcomes achieved on specific issues in relation to race equality is a matter of serious concern. Whilst we welcome the good practice of forces that have chosen to innovate on promoting race equality, we are worried at how far this …
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The wide variation among forces in the approaches taken and outcomes achieved on specific issues in relation to race equality is a matter of serious concern. Whilst we welcome the good practice of forces that have chosen to innovate on promoting race equality, we are worried at how far this has been dependent only on individual leadership with patchy national progress as a result.
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Government response AI summary
The government highlights significant national progress since the Macpherson report, including strengthened police accountability, improved Home Office data collection, and a drive to recruit diverse officers. It also refers to the 'Inclusive Britain' report for a comprehensive action plan to tackle disparities.
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Home Office
86
Recommendation
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
The lack of widespread local scrutiny and oversight mechanisms involving different communities means that, too often, impetus to make progress is left to individual Chief Constables and PCCs, without improvements being made across the board or processes to ensure the interests of minority communities are represented. All forces need to …
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The lack of widespread local scrutiny and oversight mechanisms involving different communities means that, too often, impetus to make progress is left to individual Chief Constables and PCCs, without improvements being made across the board or processes to ensure the interests of minority communities are represented. All forces need to establish local community oversight mechanisms which specifically recognise the need to monitor racial disparities and to increase confidence in local minority ethnic communities.
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Government response AI summary
The government commits to strengthening local community scrutiny by developing a new framework by Summer 2023, which will ensure panels are independently led and reflect local diversity. They will also explore sharing body-worn video footage with these panels.
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Home Office
87
Recommendation
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
Police forces also need to recognise the importance of coordinated national work to address unjustified race disparities and tackle racism. Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners should support work by the NPCC and APCC to establish national strategies and monitoring to ensure progress everywhere as problems will not be …
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Police forces also need to recognise the importance of coordinated national work to address unjustified race disparities and tackle racism. Chief Constables and Police and Crime Commissioners should support work by the NPCC and APCC to establish national strategies and monitoring to ensure progress everywhere as problems will not be solved by forces working in isolation. Shortcomings in one force have implications for confidence and perceptions of policing nationally.
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Government response AI summary
The Home Office commits to continuing work with the NPCC and APCC to support forces in collating and publishing data on public confidence, and to delivering recommendations aimed at improving PCCs' ability to use data for accountability and addressing community confidence.
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Home Office
88
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
The NPCC has a leadership function in policing, co-ordinating police forces at a national level. It is welcome that the NPCC has announced its intention to develop and implement a race equality action plan but it is deeply disappointing that this has since been delayed and that it is taking …
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The NPCC has a leadership function in policing, co-ordinating police forces at a national level. It is welcome that the NPCC has announced its intention to develop and implement a race equality action plan but it is deeply disappointing that this has since been delayed and that it is taking so long for forces to agree on much needed action. The capacity of the NPCC to act quickly and decisively is hindered by the difficulty of reaching agreement between 43 forces. We do not believe that 192 The Macpherson Report: Twenty-two years on the current structures will be sufficient to deliver change that is already twenty-two years overdue. The NPCC has also done important and welcome work in some of the individual areas we have considered in our report, such as on misconduct (see chapter five). Again, however, its impact has been limited where forces have been slow to address its recommendations.
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Government response AI summary
The government notes that the NPCC and College of Policing have co-developed a new 'Race Action Plan' which outlines measures to improve policing and secure the confidence of Black people, including updated officer guidance and training.
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Home Office
89
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted in Part
The College of Policing has an important role to play in providing training, guidance and standards for police forces to follow. Although it has developed training and guidance on stop and search, it has not played a strong enough role in ensuring that officer training is focused specifically on anti-racism …
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The College of Policing has an important role to play in providing training, guidance and standards for police forces to follow. Although it has developed training and guidance on stop and search, it has not played a strong enough role in ensuring that officer training is focused specifically on anti-racism in addition to diversity and unconscious bias. We would like to see recommendations made by the College of Policing taken up consistently across police forces, so that opportunities to improve standards and practices are not lost.
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Government response AI summary
The government supports the College of Policing's role in training and commits to supporting the College and NPCC by autumn 2024 to review and improve police officer training in areas like de-escalation skills and conflict management.
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Home Office
90
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
Evidence given to this inquiry indicates that the IOPC (and the IPCC before it) has been too complacent on matters of race, and specifically has not worked to collate data consistently (see chapter five). We welcome the IOPC’s announcement, in summer 2020, that it will commit to a dedicated focus …
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Evidence given to this inquiry indicates that the IOPC (and the IPCC before it) has been too complacent on matters of race, and specifically has not worked to collate data consistently (see chapter five). We welcome the IOPC’s announcement, in summer 2020, that it will commit to a dedicated focus on race discrimination as a thematic area of review. Specifically, it states that this will involve “independently investigating more cases where racial discrimination may be a factor in order to develop a body of evidence” to advance change.
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Government response AI summary
The government response details ongoing work on police training in diversity, equality, and inclusion, and outlines commitments from the 'Inclusive Britain' response and a new 'Race Action Plan' to improve policing and confidence in black communities, aligning with the broader theme of addressing race in …
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Home Office
91
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
HMICFRS has a very important role to play in driving improvements, raising standards and measuring progress across policing. It has produced a series of extensive reports about stop and search which has added a great deal to understanding of the issues. It is disappointing that its recommendations have still not …
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HMICFRS has a very important role to play in driving improvements, raising standards and measuring progress across policing. It has produced a series of extensive reports about stop and search which has added a great deal to understanding of the issues. It is disappointing that its recommendations have still not been implemented by a large number of forces, as we discussed in chapter six.
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Government response AI summary
The government welcomes ongoing work by policing bodies and forces to implement HMICFRS recommendations, claiming a majority of forces have already done so or have plans. It states a follow-up survey is underway to gather more detailed information on force actions and timelines.
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Home Office
92
Recommendation
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Not Addressed
However, it has been far too long since the inspectorate conducted a thematic review on race. There is an urgent need for HMICFRS to address race directly in its inspections. HMICFRS should always include specific questions about race and the workforce (including recruitment and disciplinary procedures, and officer and staff …
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However, it has been far too long since the inspectorate conducted a thematic review on race. There is an urgent need for HMICFRS to address race directly in its inspections. HMICFRS should always include specific questions about race and the workforce (including recruitment and disciplinary procedures, and officer and staff attitudes to race) and workplace operations in its PEEL legitimacy inspection framework. Further, given that matters of race remain a problem across the police service, we can identify no logical reason as to why HMICFRS have discontinued regular thematic reviews of race and policing. In order to provide scrutiny of the service and to evidence its own commitment to the issue we therefore recommend that these reviews are reinstated as a matter of priority and that the first such review should take place no later than 2022.
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Government response AI summary
The government discusses existing governance structures and oversight in policing, but the response does not directly address the recommendation for HMICFRS to reinstate thematic reviews on race or include specific questions about race in its inspections.
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Home Office
93
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
The current system for delivery and accountability on race equality within policing is not working. While there are some opportunities for ensuring accountability within the police service, our evidence indicates that these processes are far too fragmented and rarely exercised fully. Race equality tends to be left to the discretion …
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The current system for delivery and accountability on race equality within policing is not working. While there are some opportunities for ensuring accountability within the police service, our evidence indicates that these processes are far too fragmented and rarely exercised fully. Race equality tends to be left to the discretion of individual leaders or forces and important recommendations or examples of good practice are not implemented systematically. Moreover, there is a lack of a coordinated drive to make progress across policing, and insufficient follow-up actions in the form of scrutiny rewards or sanctions to ensure that change which is promised is implemented in practice. (Paragraph 614) The Macpherson Report: Twenty-two years on 193
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Government response AI summary
The government asserts that strong governance and oversight of policing already exist through the Home Secretary-chaired National Policing Board and PCCs to ensure accountability and improve community confidence. It therefore rejects the need for a new Commissioner and maintains that much is already being done, …
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Home Office
94
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Rejected
Since the Stephen Lawrence Steering Group was disbanded in 2005, there has been no national focus on achieving the aims of the Macpherson report to eliminate “racist prejudice and disadvantage and the demonstration of fairness in all aspects of policing”. The various national policing bodies have not done this, nor …
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Since the Stephen Lawrence Steering Group was disbanded in 2005, there has been no national focus on achieving the aims of the Macpherson report to eliminate “racist prejudice and disadvantage and the demonstration of fairness in all aspects of policing”. The various national policing bodies have not done this, nor has the Home Office. The EHRC is not equipped to monitor progress in policing regularly. Since the Commission for Racial Equality was folded into the EHRC, there has also been no separate independent national body with an explicit focus on race equality. The attempts by the NPCC to show national leadership in drawing up a national action plan are welcome but the delays in getting agreement with police forces show its limitations. We recognise the NPCC’s intention to establish an oversight board with an independent Chair. However the Chair is only expected to work for a few days each year and it does not appear that the Board will have the resources, analytical capacity or clout that we believe are needed.
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Government response AI summary
The government rejects the need for a new Commissioner or strengthened independent oversight, arguing that existing governance structures, including the Home Secretary-chaired National Policing Board and PCCs, provide sufficient scrutiny and accountability on race equality in policing.
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Home Office
95
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
Furthermore the withdrawal of the Home Office from an active role in policing has been responsible for fragmentation and a lack of wholesale ownership in addressing race equality issues. While we acknowledge the devolved nature of policing, the Home Office is ultimately responsible for providing leadership and accountability in this …
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Furthermore the withdrawal of the Home Office from an active role in policing has been responsible for fragmentation and a lack of wholesale ownership in addressing race equality issues. While we acknowledge the devolved nature of policing, the Home Office is ultimately responsible for providing leadership and accountability in this area and for ensuring that progress is made in practice. The time for the Home Office to embrace that role is long overdue.
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Government response AI summary
The government asserts that it has fundamentally reformed its governance and oversight of policing through the Home Secretary-chaired National Policing Board, demonstrating its active role and leadership in ensuring progress on race equality, contrary to the committee's suggestion of withdrawal.
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Home Office
96
Recommendation
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Rejected
The Home Secretary should establish and chair, under the aegis of the National Policing Board, a Race Equality Steering Group. The Home Secretary should have oversight of progress in addressing race equality across the 43 police forces, including the implementation of action plans, through the Steering Group which should also …
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The Home Secretary should establish and chair, under the aegis of the National Policing Board, a Race Equality Steering Group. The Home Secretary should have oversight of progress in addressing race equality across the 43 police forces, including the implementation of action plans, through the Steering Group which should also hold Chief Constables in England and Wales to account on the specific actions they have taken to improve outcomes for Black and minority ethnic officers in all areas of their employment. This oversight must include accountability for reaching force-level recruitment targets as part of a commitment to achieve a representative police service by 2030 (as recommended in chapter four).
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Government response AI summary
The government rejects the recommendation to establish a new Race Equality Steering Group chaired by the Home Secretary, asserting that existing governance structures, particularly the National Policing Board, already provide strong oversight and accountability for race equality in policing.
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Home Office
97
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Rejected
In addition to the steering group, we believe it is so important to ensure that progress is sustained that further independent dedicated oversight on race equality in the police service in England and Wales is needed. Commitments to address issues from BME recruitment to stop and search have been made …
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In addition to the steering group, we believe it is so important to ensure that progress is sustained that further independent dedicated oversight on race equality in the police service in England and Wales is needed. Commitments to address issues from BME recruitment to stop and search have been made many times before, but too little has changed in practice. We cannot afford to see that happen again. We welcome the intention behind the NPCC’s proposed appointment of an independent chair for a new race equality oversight board but we believe it needs to be significantly strengthened and broadened.
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Government response AI summary
The government rejects the need for further strengthened independent oversight for race equality, asserting that existing governance via the National Policing Board and PCCs already provides strong and sufficient oversight.
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Home Office
98
Recommendation
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Rejected
We recommend that, in place of the oversight board, a new Race Equality Commissioner for policing is established to provide ongoing scrutiny, including analysis and advice on policing policy, tools and procedures that are likely (or have been shown) to have a potential impact on racial disparities. The remit of …
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We recommend that, in place of the oversight board, a new Race Equality Commissioner for policing is established to provide ongoing scrutiny, including analysis and advice on policing policy, tools and procedures that are likely (or have been shown) to have a potential impact on racial disparities. The remit of the post would include scope to instigate investigations and to report at the Commissioner’s discretion, with powers to gather information, make recommendations on policing institutions and where appropriate to refer concerns raised by their inquiries to HMICFRS for further examination and inspection. The Race Equality Steering Group chaired by the Home Secretary should consider and respond to the Commissioner’s independent reports. To ensure that the Commissioner has sufficient resources and powers, it 194 The Macpherson Report: Twenty-two years on should be established on a statutory basis and provided with ring-fenced funding from Government. However it is vital that the post is, and is seen to be, independent of both policing and central Government to ensure it can win the confidence of BME communities. Therefore, the Commissioner should be appointed through an independent process and be accountable directly to Parliament.
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Government response AI summary
The government rejects the recommendation for a new Race Equality Commissioner, stating that existing strong governance and oversight through the National Policing Board are sufficient and make a new Commissioner unnecessary.
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Home Office
99
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
The renewed focus amongst policing leaders on issues of race inequality since the summer of 2020, and in particular the commitment on the part of the NPCC to the production of an action plan to consider “concerns about racial inequalities in policing and the criminal justice system” is welcome. However, …
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The renewed focus amongst policing leaders on issues of race inequality since the summer of 2020, and in particular the commitment on the part of the NPCC to the production of an action plan to consider “concerns about racial inequalities in policing and the criminal justice system” is welcome. However, it is vital that this work begins as soon as possible, is adopted by every police force and its objectives are followed through. Meeting the goals of the action plan cannot be left to individual policing institutions without more formal structures of accountability and scrutiny.
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees more work is needed on training consistency and commits to supporting the College and NPCC by autumn 2024 to review and improve police officer training in de-escalation and conflict management. It also highlights the co-developed 'Race Action Plan' as a measure to …
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Home Office
100
Recommendation
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Accepted
Based on the evidence we have received and the systemic problems we have identified, we recommend that in taking forward its Plan of Action on Inclusion and Race, the NPCC must focus on the following priorities: • Achieving a police workforce that is representative of the population by 2030, with …
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Based on the evidence we have received and the systemic problems we have identified, we recommend that in taking forward its Plan of Action on Inclusion and Race, the NPCC must focus on the following priorities: • Achieving a police workforce that is representative of the population by 2030, with specific objectives and plans at a force level to ensure recruitment in the current officer uplift and beyond is representative of the communities that individual forces serve (chapter four); • Gathering and publishing consistent and transparent data that allows the effects of police policies and use of powers to be properly scrutinised (chapters two, three, five, six and seven); • Reforming approaches taken to stop and search, including through improved training on conducting stop and searches, better understanding of ethnic disproportionalities and more effective review and community engagement on the use of stop and search (chapter six); • Independent monitoring and oversight at a national and community-level, combined with initiatives to rebuild confidence in police policies and use of police powers, and ensure new tools and technologies are not introduced before their likely impact has been properly examined (chapters six, seven and nine); • Maintaining an institutional focus on structural imbalances that lead to unequal outcomes for individuals of different ethnicities, including by the provision of training that goes beyond individual biases and focuses specifically on anti- racism and organisational culture (chapter nine) • An overriding commitment to the principle that disparities between different ethnic groups must be explained, or changes must be made to eliminate them (chapter nine).
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Government response AI summary
The government states that police forces are striving for a representative workforce and details existing comprehensive programmes, such as the Police Uplift Programme and targeted national campaigns, which are already delivering on this ambition through attraction, recruitment, and data capture initiatives.
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Home Office
101
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
Across the country police forces work hard each day to tackle crime and keep all our communities safe. Police officers and staff work immensely hard to deliver fairness in policing, to support Black and minority ethnic victims of crime, to tackle racist hate crimes and support community cohesion. But it …
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Across the country police forces work hard each day to tackle crime and keep all our communities safe. Police officers and staff work immensely hard to deliver fairness in policing, to support Black and minority ethnic victims of crime, to tackle racist hate crimes and support community cohesion. But it is because the role of the The Macpherson Report: Twenty-two years on 195 police in communities is so important that the issues raised in our report need to be addressed. Our inquiry has found that the Macpherson report’s overall aim of the elimination of racist prejudice and disadvantage and the demonstration of fairness in all aspects of policing has still not been met twenty-two years on, and we have identified persistent deep-rooted problems where too little progress has been made because of a lack of focus and accountability on issues of race. While this is the case, trust between the police service and Black and minority ethnic communities will remain low and the long-standing Peel principles around fairness in policing and policing by consent will continue to be undermined.
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Government response AI summary
The government agrees on the importance of monitoring trust and confidence in policing and highlights existing data collection efforts across various metrics. It commits to continuing to work with policing partners to support forces in collating and publishing confidence data to inform accountability.
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Home Office
102
Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: T…
Acknowledged
The commitments made over the last year by the NPCC, by individual forces and by senior police officers to a step change in addressing race equality in policing are important and welcome. But commitments have been made in the past that were then not delivered. This time needs to be …
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The commitments made over the last year by the NPCC, by individual forces and by senior police officers to a step change in addressing race equality in policing are important and welcome. But commitments have been made in the past that were then not delivered. This time needs to be different or confidence may be permanently undermined. This time, Government and police forces must work with local communities to ensure there is real and sustainable change that improves the experiences of, and outcomes for, Black and minority ethnic communities whether within the police service or without—that raises confidence and demonstrates fairness in policing for all. (Paragraph 623) 196 The Macpherson Report: Twenty-two years on
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Government response AI summary
The government acknowledges the importance of public confidence and describes ongoing efforts to monitor trust and collect data, committing to continue working with policing partners to consider how best to support forces in collating and publishing confidence data.
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Home Office