THE mother of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence accused the Government of lacking interest in race issues during a hard-hitting speech to black police officers in the North-East.

Addressing a conference on Teesside yesterday, Doreen Lawrence hit out after she said a group set up to implement the recommendations of a report launched after her son died had been disbanded.

She said the Government was sending the wrong message to ethnic communities by disbanding the group, which advised Home Secretary Charles Clarke on race issues. Mrs Lawrence said much of the work of the group -established after the Macpherson Inquiry severely criticised police for their handling of the murder inquiry -had not been carried out.

Sir William Macpherson's report labelled the Metropolitan Police as institutionally racist and condemned officers for fundamental errors following Stephen's death in south London in 1993.

The report contained 70 recommendations for society to show "zero tolerance" to racism.

Yesterday, Mrs Lawrence told the annual meeting of the Black Police Association, in Yarm, near Middlesbrough, that conditions have not improved. She said: "Two years ago, I spoke out and said I believed racism was not on the Government agenda any more and I got slapped on the wrist by David Blunkett.

"I was angry about that. As far as I am concerned, I have a right to speak my mind and I do not intend anyone to try to cover up what is going on."

Mrs Lawrence, who was given an OBE for her campaigning since Stephen's death, was told the Lawrence Steering Group was being disbanded during a meeting with Mr Clarke on Monday.

She said the decision was "sending us back to where we were before Stephen was murdered" and pointed out the recent death of Paul Coker in police custody and the killing of Anthony Walker in Liverpool.

Mrs Lawrence told more than 100 delegates: "I do not believe we have achieved anything near what we should have done with the steering group.

"For the first time in British history, as I understand it, we had independent people sitting around a table with the Home Secretary, acting as advisors to him as to how the community was feeling.

"The Government of the day should have been applauded for that, and yes, they have taken up the mantle, but why have they dropped it?"

Mr Clarke led the 26-member group, which included Stephen's parents and representatives from the Campaign for Racial Equality, the Met Police and the Association of Chief Police Officers.

A Home Office spokesman last night denied Mrs Lawrence's allegation that race issues had been taken off the agenda, and declined to confirm her claim about the group being disbanded.

He said: "I can confirm that the Lawrence Steering Group met on September 19 for one of their regular meetings.

"It was a private meeting and any outcomes that may affect the Lawrence Steering Group will be announced in due course.

"Any decisions will not affect the Home Office commitment to the race equality agenda. The Home Office remains equally committed to issues regarding race and faith."