Public Inquiry

Stephen Lawrence Inquiry

Status: Completed Chair: Sir William Macpherson Established: Jul 1997 Report: Feb 1999 Commissioned by: Home Office

Inquiry into the investigation of the murder of Stephen Lawrence on 22 April 1993 which found institutional racism within the Metropolitan Police Service.

Historical inquiry (pre-Inquiries Act 2005). Listed for reference — recommendation progress is not actively tracked.

Response status

This is a historical inquiry. Per-recommendation tracking is not available. See the Legacy & Impact section below.

Legacy & impact

AI-generated · 26 Mar 2026

The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry was established in July 1997 following the failed investigation into the racist murder of Stephen Lawrence in 1993. The inquiry, chaired by Sir William Macpherson, examined the Metropolitan Police Service's handling of the case and published its report in February 1999.

The report introduced the concept of 'institutional racism' into British public policy discourse, defining it as collective organisational failure through unwitting prejudice, ignorance, thoughtlessness and racist stereotyping. The inquiry made 70 recommendations spanning policing, criminal justice and public services.

The Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 represents the inquiry's most substantial legislative outcome, extending race relations legislation to cover police and public authorities previously exempt and establishing statutory duties to promote racial equality. The Criminal Justice Act 2003 (Part 10) abolished double jeopardy for serious offences with new compelling evidence, directly enabling the 2012 convictions of Gary Dobson and David Norris for Stephen Lawrence's murder.

The inquiry's definition of racist incidents and requirements for recording and investigation were adopted across police services. However, Home Affairs Select Committee reviews in 2009 and 2021 identified continuing challenges. The 2021 review concluded that objectives regarding eliminating racist prejudice and achieving representative police forces remained unmet, with the committee finding that at current rates of progress, representative forces would take another 20 years to achieve.

The Macpherson Report occupies a significant position in criminal justice history, establishing frameworks and terminology that continue to shape policy debates about policing and racial equality.

Reports & milestones

Reports

24 Feb 1999 70 tracked recs Macpherson Inquiry — Final Report · Tracked recommendations · PDF

Timeline

No milestones recorded.

Recommendations

70 shown

Code	Recommendation
MACP-1	Establish Ministerial Priority for police to increase trust among minority ethn… That a Ministerial Priority be established for all Police Services: "To increase trust and confidence in policing amongst minority ethnic communities".	View →
MACP-2	Include performance indicators for monitoring Ministerial Priority on racist in… The process of implementing, monitoring and assessing the Ministerial Priority should include Performance Indicators in relation to: i. the existence and application …	View →
MACP-3	Grant Her Majesty's Inspectors full powers to inspect all Police Services. That Her Majesty's Inspectors of Constabulary (HMIC) be granted full and unfettered powers and duties to inspect all parts of Police Services …	View →
MACP-4	Conduct immediate HMIC inspection of Metropolitan Police Service, including und… That in order to restore public confidence an inspection by HMIC of the Metropolitan Police Service be conducted forthwith. The inspection to …	View →
MACP-5	Apply OFSTED-like standards to Police Service inspections for improved quality … That principles and standards similar to those of the Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED) be applied to inspections of Police Services, …	View →
MACP-6	Reconsider Metropolitan Police Authority powers to align with other services, i… That proposals as to the formation of the Metropolitan Police Authority be reconsidered, with a view to bringing its functions and powers …	View →
MACP-7	Ensure police authority membership reflects the community's cultural and ethnic… That the Home Secretary and Police Authorities should seek to ensure that the membership of police authorities reflects so far as possible …	View →
MACP-8	Empower HMIC to use lay inspectors for racist crime investigation inspections That HMIC shall be empowered to recruit and to use lay inspectors in order to conduct examination and inspection of Police Services …	View →
MACP-9	Apply Freedom of Information Act to all policing with "substantial harm" test That a Freedom of Information Act should apply to all areas of policing, both operational and administrative, subject only to the "substantial …	View →
MACP-10	Disclose investigating officers' reports to complainants, subject only to subst… That Investigating Officers' reports resulting from public complaints should not attract Public Interest Immunity as a class. They should be disclosed to …	View →
MACP-11	Apply Race Relations legislation to all police; make Chief Officers vicariously… That the full force of the Race Relations legislation should apply to all police officers, and that Chief Officers of Police should …	View →
MACP-12	Adopt definition: "racist incident is perceived as racist by victim or witness That the definition should be: "A racist incident is any incident which is perceived to be racist by the victim or any …	View →
MACP-13	Understand "racist incident" includes crimes and non-crimes, investigated with … That the term "racist incident" must be understood to include crimes and non-crimes in policing terms. Both must be reported, recorded and …	View →
MACP-14	Universally adopt racist incident definition across police, local government, a… That this definition should be universally adopted by the Police, local Government and other relevant agencies.	View →
MACP-15	Establish Home Office Codes of Practice for reporting and recording racist inci… That Codes of Practice be established by the Home Office, in consultation with Police Services, local Government and relevant agencies, to create …	View →
MACP-16	Encourage reporting racist incidents and crimes, offering non-police station an… That all possible steps should be taken by Police Services at local level in consultation with local Government and other agencies and …	View →
MACP-17	Ensure close co-operation and information sharing on racist incidents among age… That there should be close co-operation between Police Services and local Government and other agencies, including in particular Housing and Education Departments, …	View →
MACP-18	Review ACPO Good Practice Guide; produce manual for racist incident investigati… That ACPO, in consultation with local Government and other relevant agencies, should review its Good Practice Guide for Police Response to Racial …	View →
MACP-19	Devise ACPO Codes of Practice for open, thorough crime investigation reviews That ACPO devise Codes of Practice to govern Reviews of investigations of crime, in order to ensure that such Reviews are open …	View →
MACP-20	Review MPS scene procedures for officer co-ordination and senior command respon… That MPS procedures at the scene of incidents be reviewed in order to ensure co-ordination between uniformed and CID officers and to …	View →
MACP-21	Review MPS procedures for recording and retaining incident and crime information That the MPS review their procedures for the recording and retention of information in relation to incidents and crimes, to ensure that …	View →
MACP-22	Review MPS internal inspection and accountability processes to ensure policy ob… That MPS review their internal inspection and accountability processes to ensure that policy directives are observed.	View →
MACP-23	Ensure readily available designated and trained Family Liaison Officers at loca… That Police Services should ensure that at local level there are readily available designated and trained Family Liaison Officers.	View →
MACP-24	Include racism awareness and cultural diversity training for Family Liaison Off… That training of Family Liaison Officers must include training in racism awareness and cultural diversity, so that families are treated appropriately, professionally, …	View →
MACP-25	Dedicate Family Liaison Officers primarily or exclusively to their liaison task That Family Liaison Officers shall, where appointed, be dedicated primarily if not exclusively to that task.	View →
MACP-26	Ensure Senior Investigating Officers provide comprehensive information and mana… That Senior Investigating Officers and Family Liaison Officers be made aware that good practice and their positive duty shall be the satisfactory …	View →
MACP-27	Formally record and report all family requests and complaints to superior offic… That good practice shall provide that any request made by the family of a victim which is not acceded to, and any …	View →
MACP-28	Proactively use local minority ethnic contacts for family liaison assistance. That Police Services and Victim Support Services ensure that their systems provide for the pro-active use of local contacts within minority ethnic …	View →
MACP-29	Develop guidelines for handling victims and witnesses, especially in racist inc… That Police Services should together with the Home Office develop guidelines as to the handling of victims and witnesses, particularly in the …	View →
MACP-30	Proactively use local minority ethnic contacts for victim support and sensitive… That Police Services and Victim Support Services ensure that their systems provide for the pro-active use of local contacts within minority ethnic …	View →
MACP-31	Ensure training and use of victim/witness liaison officers for racist incidents. That Police Services ensure the provision of training and the availability of victim/witness liaison officers, and ensure their use in appropriate areas …	View →
MACP-32	Maintain the current standard of proof for criminal offences. That the standard of proof of such crimes should remain unchanged.	View →
MACP-33	Establish a rebuttable presumption for prosecution in the public interest test. That the CPS should consider that, in deciding whether a criminal prosecution should proceed, once the CPS evidential test is satisfied there …	View →
MACP-34	Ensure racist motivation evidence is recognised and included at all prosecution… That Police Services and the CPS should ensure that particular care is taken at all stages of prosecution to recognise and to …	View →
MACP-35	Consult and inform victims or families about any proposal to discontinue procee… That the CPS ensure that a victim or victim's family shall be consulted and kept informed as to any proposal to discontinue …	View →
MACP-36	CPS must personally notify victims and families of discontinuance decisions sen… That the CPS should have the positive duty always to notify a victim and victim's family personally of a decision to discontinue, …	View →
MACP-37	Fully record and disclose prosecution discontinuance decisions to victims or fa… That the CPS ensure that all decisions to discontinue any prosecution should be carefully and fully recorded in writing, and that save …	View →
MACP-38	Empower Court of Appeal to permit prosecution after acquittal with fresh eviden… That consideration should be given to the Court of Appeal being given power to permit prosecution after acquittal where fresh and viable …	View →
MACP-39	Amend law to prosecute racist language and offensive weapon offences privately. That consideration should be given to amendment of the law to allow prosecution of offences involving racist language or behaviour, and of …	View →
MACP-40	Maintain the current ability to initiate private criminal prosecutions. That the ability to initiate a private prosecution should remain unchanged.	View →
MACP-41	Allow victims or families to become "civil parties" in criminal proceedings. That consideration should be given to the proposition that victims or victims' families should be allowed to become "civil parties" to criminal …	View →
MACP-42	Ensure advance disclosure of evidence to parties appearing at inquests. That there should be advance disclosure of evidence and documents as of right to parties who have leave from a Coroner to …	View →
MACP-43	Provide Legal Aid for victims' families for representation at appropriate inque… That consideration be given to the provision of Legal Aid to victims or the families of victims to cover representation at an …	View →
MACP-44	Police and Courts prevent intimidation of witnesses through bail conditions That Police Services and the Courts seek to prevent the intimidation of victims and witnesses by imposing appropriate bail conditions.	View →
MACP-45	Review and revise First Aid training for all public contact police officers That First Aid training for all "public contact" police officers (including senior officers) should at once be reviewed and revised to ensure …	View →
MACP-46	Implement First Aid training and testing to recognised standards in all Police … That training in First Aid including refresher training should include testing to recognised and published standards in every Police Service.	View →
MACP-47	Police Services annually review and test public contact officers' First Aid tra… That Police Services should annually review First Aid training, and ensure that "public contact" officers are trained and tested to recognised and …	View →
MACP-48	Review and revise police racism awareness training for consistent cultural dive… That there should be an immediate review and revision of racism awareness training within Police Services to ensure:- a. that there exists …	View →
MACP-49	Train all police officers and staff in racism awareness and cultural diversity That all police officers, including CID and civilian staff, should be trained in racism awareness and valuing cultural diversity.	View →
MACP-50	Conduct local police racism awareness training involving minority ethnic commun… That police training and practical experience in the field of racism awareness and valuing cultural diversity should regularly be conducted at local …	View →
MACP-51	Promote joint police training with other organisations off police premises That consideration be given by Police Services to promoting joint training with members of other organisations or professions otherwise than on police …	View →
MACP-52	Home Office and Police Services publish racism awareness training standards and… That the Home Office together with Police Services should publish recognised standards of training aims and objectives in the field of racism …	View →
MACP-53	Implement independent and regular monitoring of all Police Service training That there should be independent and regular monitoring of training within all Police Services to test both implementation and achievement of such …	View →
MACP-54	Review racism awareness training in local government and criminal justice agenc… That consideration be given to a review of the provision of training in racism awareness and valuing cultural diversity in local Government …	View →
MACP-55	Implement and monitor new police disciplinary and complaints procedures for eff… That the changes to Police Disciplinary and Complaints procedures proposed by the Home Secretary should be fully implemented and closely and publicly …	View →
MACP-56	Allow police disciplinary action for five years after an officer's retirement That in order to eliminate the present provision which prevents disciplinary action after retirement, disciplinary action should be available for at least …	View →
MACP-57	Ensure racist acts by police officers lead to disciplinary proceedings and dism… That the Police Services should through the implementation of a Code of Conduct or otherwise ensure that racist words or acts proved …	View →
MACP-58	Home Secretary ensure independent investigation of serious complaints against p… That the Home Secretary, taking into account the strong expression of public perception in this regard, consider what steps can and should …	View →
MACP-59	Home Office review and monitor police selection and promotion standards for sen… That the Home Office review and monitor the system and standards of Police Services applied to the selection and promotion of officers …	View →
MACP-60	Maintain current police powers for crime prevention and detection unchanged That the powers of the police under current legislation are required for the prevention and detection of crime and should remain unchanged.	View →
MACP-61	Require police to record all stops, searches, reasons, and ethnic identity That the Home Secretary, in consultation with Police Services, should ensure that a record is made by police officers of all "stops" …	View →
MACP-62	Require police services to monitor, analyse, review, and publish relevant recor… That these records should be monitored and analysed by Police Services and Police Authorities, and reviewed by HMIC on inspections. The information …	View →
MACP-63	Mandate police authorities to publicise stop and search provisions and rights That Police Authorities be given the duty to undertake publicity campaigns to ensure that the public is aware of "stop and search" …	View →
MACP-64	Require policing plans to include targets for minority ethnic staff recruitment… That the Home Secretary and Police Authorities' policing plans should include targets for recruitment, progression and retention of minority ethnic staff. Police …	View →
MACP-65	Facilitate initiatives to increase qualified minority ethnic recruits in police… That the Home Office and Police Services should facilitate the development of initiatives to increase the number of qualified minority ethnic recruits.	View →
MACP-66	Require HMIC to inspect and report on police minority ethnic staff progress That HMIC include in any regular inspection or in a thematic inspection a report on the progress made by Police Services in …	View →
MACP-67	Amend National Curriculum to value cultural diversity and prevent racism That consideration be given to amendment of the National Curriculum aimed at valuing cultural diversity and preventing racism, in order better to …	View →
MACP-68	Require schools to implement anti-racism strategies, record and publish racist … That Local Education Authorities and school Governors have the duty to create and implement strategies in their schools to prevent and address …	View →
MACP-69	Require OFSTED inspections to examine school anti-racism strategy implementation That OFSTED inspections include examination of the implementation of such strategies.	View →
MACP-70	Implement community initiatives promoting cultural diversity and addressing rac… That in creating strategies under the provisions of the Crime & Disorder Act or otherwise Police Services, local Government and relevant agencies …	View →

Parliamentary activity

8 mentions since Nov 2016

2 questions

18 Nov 2025 Written Question Non-crime Hate Incidents
Baroness Maclean of Redditch (Conservative)

22 Jul 2025 Early Day Motion 2025 Fèis Rois Cèilidh Trail and Scotland’s emerging traditional musicians
Mr Angus MacDonald (Liberal Democrat)

01 Feb 2024 Early Day Motion Jay Abatan
Caroline Lucas (Green Party)

13 Apr 2021 Early Day Motion Report of the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities
Ms Diane Abbott (Labour)

View all 8 mentions →