Stephen Lawrence urgent question

It is too early for the government to tell whether a fresh inquiry is needed into the murder of Stephen Lawrence, junior Home Office minister James Brokenshire has told MPs.

He was summoned to the despatch box by the Labour MP for Eltham, Clive Efford, to answer an urgent question on 24 April 2012, on recent media reports about the the murder, the police investigation into it and subsequent public inquiry.

The Macpherson Inquiry, in 1999, was asked to identify lessons learned which would help with the investigation and prosecution of racially motivated crimes. It also examined the Lawrences' allegations of corruption.

It concluded: "It is right that we should say at once that no collusion or corruption is proved to have infected the investigation of Stephen Lawrence's murder."

But the calls for a new inquiry have been triggered by allegations in the Independent newspaper last month that police corruption may have shielded the gang that murdered Mr Lawrence in a racist attack.

Mr Efford asked whether ministers accepted that "there is evidence of police corruption worthy of further inquiry".

He also asked the minister to accept that "only an independent public inquiry will satisfy public concerns over the new allegations" and it should take place as quickly as possible.

Mr Brokenshire replied that Home Secretary Theresa May was "looking at this matter very closely" but was waiting for the Met's internal review to conclude before taking a decision.

She had also offered to meet the family of Mr Lawrence to discuss their concerns, he added.