The Macpherson Report: twenty-two years on

Home Affairs Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 5 Jun 2020 Closed: 31 Jan 2024 Parliament page
The Home Affairs Committee has confirmed its intention to complete its predecessors’ work on The Macpherson Report: twenty years on , and will take new evidence on policing and race including on concerns raised about the policing of the Covid-19 lockdown and reported disproportionality in fines and investigations of individuals … Read more
25 Recommendations
77 Conclusions
1 Report
2 Oral sessions
5 Letters
2 Events
Activity timeline 11 events
1 Jul
2022
Correspondence
26 May
2022
Report published
27 Apr
2022
Correspondence
23 Mar
2022
Correspondence
23 Mar
2022
Correspondence
30 Jul
2021
Report published
22 Jul
2020
Oral evidence
22 Jul
2020
Correspondence
22 Jul
2020
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 6, Palace of Westminster
17 Jun
2020
Oral evidence
17 Jun
2020
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Wilson Room, Portcullis House
Oral evidence sessions 2 sessions
22 Jul 2020
View on parliament.uk
Bishop Derek Webley · Windrush Cross-Government Working Group Inspector Dan Popple · West Midlands Police Pastor Lorraine Jones · Dwayne Simpson Foundation CIC PC Adam Ahmed Sayce Holmes-Lewis · Mentivity
17 Jun 2020
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Katrina Ffrench · StopWatch Mirren Gidda · Liberty Investigates Nick Glynn · Open Society Foundations Professor Ben Bowling · Kings College London Rosalind Comyn · Liberty
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Third Report - The Macpherson Report: Twenty-two years on HC 139 30 Jul 2021 102 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
29 results
Clear
1 Conclusion Acknowledged
Third Report - The Macpherson Repo…
Stephen Lawrence Inquiry report was groundbreaking, prompting significant legal and policing reforms.
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 … Read more
Government Response
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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3 Conclusion Acknowledged
Third Report - The Macpherson Repo…
Assessment of Macpherson report recommendations reveals urgent challenges in policing progress
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 … Read more
Government Response
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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12 Conclusion Acknowledged
Third Report - The Macpherson Repo…
Macpherson report prompted transformative and sustained progress in police handling of racist crimes
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 … Read more
Government Response
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 states they should continue to monitor this data.
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16 Conclusion Acknowledged
Third Report - The Macpherson Repo…
Race hate crime remains a significant societal problem despite increased reporting and awareness.
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 … Read more
Government Response
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 to improve community confidence and address disparities.
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21 Conclusion Acknowledged
Third Report - The Macpherson Repo…
Online racist hate crimes and extremism require serious, collaborative action from all stakeholders.
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 … Read more
Government Response
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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22 Conclusion Acknowledged
Third Report - The Macpherson Repo…
BME victims of crime often feel treated as suspects, requiring research and support plan.
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 … Read more
Government Response
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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40 Recommendation
Third Report - The Macpherson Repo…
Mandate Home Office to investigate Met Commissioner's proposed Equality Act changes for recruitment.
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 … Read more
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42 Conclusion Acknowledged
Third Report - The Macpherson Repo…
Failure to act risks undermining police legitimacy and missing recruitment opportunity.
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 … Read more
Government Response
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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47 Conclusion Acknowledged
Third Report - The Macpherson Repo…
Racial disproportionality in stop and search is worse now than Macpherson found.
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 … Read more
Government Response
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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48 Conclusion Acknowledged
Third Report - The Macpherson Repo…
Unexplained racial disparities in stop and search damage BME community confidence in policing.
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, … Read more
Government Response
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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49 Conclusion Acknowledged
Third Report - The Macpherson Repo…
No adequate justification exists for racial disproportionality in stop and search, especially for drugs.
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 … Read more
Government Response
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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53 Recommendation Acknowledged
Third Report - The Macpherson Repo…
Persistent racial disparities in stop and search undermine BME community confidence.
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 … Read more
Government Response
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", they will consider a range of metrics for stop and search rates.
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61 Conclusion Acknowledged
Third Report - The Macpherson Repo…
Racial disproportionality in COVID-19 Fixed Penalty Notices highlights need for careful oversight.
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 … Read more
Government Response
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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67 Conclusion Acknowledged
Third Report - The Macpherson Repo…
Racial injustice persists, with government action prompted by the murder of George Floyd.
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 … Read more
Government Response
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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68 Conclusion Acknowledged
Third Report - The Macpherson Repo…
Serious and persistent racial inequality shortcomings remain unaddressed in policing after two decades.
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 … Read more
Government Response
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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72 Conclusion Acknowledged
Third Report - The Macpherson Repo…
Police leaders must set example through anti-racism training and confronting unfair behaviour.
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
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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73 Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Repo…
Policing has not adequately fulfilled responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010.
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 … Read more
Government Response
The Macpherson Report left an indelible mark on policing. Over the past two decades, since the report’s publication, significant progress has been made to address Sir William Macpherson’s findings. As … Read more
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74 Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Repo…
Significant improvements achieved in policing of racist crimes and community engagement.
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 … Read more
Government Response
The Macpherson Report left an indelible mark on policing. Over the past two decades, since the report’s publication, significant progress has been made to address Sir William Macpherson’s findings. As … Read more
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75 Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Repo…
Persistent, deep-rooted racial disparities in policing indicate structural problems for BME groups.
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 … Read more
Government Response
The Macpherson Report left an indelible mark on policing. Over the past two decades, since the report’s publication, significant progress has been made to address Sir William Macpherson’s findings. As … Read more
Home Office
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76 Conclusion Acknowledged
Third Report - The Macpherson Repo…
Inquiry assessed progress against Macpherson themes, not individual institutional racism tests.
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 … Read more
Government Response
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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77 Conclusion Acknowledged
Third Report - The Macpherson Repo…
BME police organisations consistently report ongoing experience of institutional racism in forces.
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 … Read more
Government Response
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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81 Recommendation
Third Report - The Macpherson Repo…
Require the EHRC to determine a framework for assessing institutional racism in police forces.
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 … Read more
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82 Recommendation Acknowledged
Third Report - The Macpherson Repo…
Police forces must strengthen race inequality approach by adopting 'explain or change' model.
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 … Read more
Government Response
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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83 Conclusion Acknowledged
Third Report - The Macpherson Repo…
Macpherson report's early momentum on race equality was not sustained
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 … Read more
Government Response
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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88 Conclusion Acknowledged
Third Report - The Macpherson Repo…
NPCC's delayed race equality plan hindered by structural agreement difficulties
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 … Read more
Government Response
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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90 Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Repo…
IOPC previously complacent on race, now commits to focused discrimination review
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 … Read more
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92 Conclusion
Third Report - The Macpherson Repo…
Discontinuation of HMICFRS thematic race reviews hinders urgent scrutiny of policing
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 … Read more
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101 Conclusion Acknowledged
Third Report - The Macpherson Repo…
Macpherson Report's race equality aims remain unmet, undermining public trust in policing.
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 … Read more
Government Response
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.
Home Office
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102 Conclusion Acknowledged
Third Report - The Macpherson Repo…
Recent policing race equality commitments require delivery and sustainable change to rebuild trust.
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 … Read more
Government Response
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.
Home Office
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Government Response AI assessment · 95 of 25 classified
Accepted 39
Accepted in Part 9
Acknowledged 22
Deferred 1
Not Addressed 19
Rejected 5
Total 25 recs + 77 conclusions
Correspondence 5 letters
1 Jul 2022 From committee Letter to the Home Secretary on the Macpherson Report: 22 years on, dated 23 March 2022
Parliament page
27 Apr 2022 To committee Letter from the Home Secretary on the Macpherson Report: 22 years on, dated 31 March 2022.
Parliament page
23 Mar 2022 To committee Letter from the Home Secretary on the government response to the Macpherson Report: 22 Years On, dated 11 March 2022
Parliament page
23 Mar 2022 To committee Letter from the Minister for Equalities on the Government's response to the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities' (CRED) Report, dated 17 March 2022
Parliament page
22 Jul 2020 To committee Letter from the Director General of the Independent Office of Police Conduct on recording ethnicity data in investigations dated 27 March 2020
Parliament page