BRITISH police said last night that people named in the report on the Stephen Lawrence case were being given police protection.
Earlier the Conservatives called on the Home Secretary, Mr Jack Straw, to make a statement to the Commons after the Home Office yesterday withdrew a section of Sir William Macpherson's report on the death of Stephen Lawrence.
Mr Straw said he was "deeply sorry and deeply upset that this has happened".
Sir William's 335-page inquiry report and a separate volume of appendices - one section reproduces a Metropolitan Police log containing the names of informants - were published on Wednesday and concluded that the investigation into Stephen Lawrence's death was marred by a combination of professional incompetence, institutional racism and a failure of leadership by senior officers.
The appendices to the report were hastily withdrawn after a number of "inaccuracies" were identified, and the inquiry team has admitted responsibility for the error. After the volume was removed from the Vote Office in the Commons and failed to appear on the government's Website, the Home Office confirmed that the volume had been removed because it contained "confidential" information. It is understood a redraft of the appendices is under way.
But as the Home Office refused to be drawn further on the error, the shadow home secretary, Sir Norman Fowler, demanded an urgent statement from Mr Straw "to clear up the uncertainty over this matter, and to explain why these appendices have been withdrawn". The former Tory Home Office minister, Mr David Maclean, said he was appalled by the level of incompetence in producing the report.
As the far-reaching implications of Sir William's report were being assessed in government and by the police, Stephen Lawrence's parents indicated they were ready to sue the force unless it agreed to pay the family substantial compensation. Their solicitor, Mr Imran Khan, wrote to the Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Sir Paul Condon, yesterday to begin action against the force "for its gross negligence and incompetence in the investigation".
Sir Paul has seven days to respond, but if he fails to do so, Mr Khan said, the family would pursue a court case against the force.
Mr Khan also spoke of the Lawrences' "shocked, horrified and outraged" response when they were informed yesterday that vandals had desecrated a memorial to their son by throwing white paint over it, hours after Mr Straw and the Prime Minister had called on society to overcome racism.
A police camera overlooking the granite memorial plaque in Eltham, south-east London, close to where Stephen Lawrence was murdered in 1993, was intended to deter vandals but did not contain any film. Police said the camera was a "preventive measure" and would be of no help in the investigation. The area around the memorial was cordoned off as up to 30 police officers conducted house-to-house inquiries.
Meanwhile, senior lawyers have begun examining the government's plan to start a review of the rule of "double jeopardy" which prevents suspects being tried for the same offence a second time.
Racism in British schools where the majority of pupils are white is being inadequately dealt with, according to new research. The Children's Legal Centre, based at the University of Essex, found openly racist attitudes among pupils were being ignored by many staff at schools involved in the survey.