An investigation into the use of ‘stop and search’ powers by the Met Police and their impact on public confidence begins at the London Assembly today.

It comes in the wake of Home Office figures published on Tuesday showing a quarter of all ‘stop and search’ cases were unjustified or unlawful.

Londoners are three times more likely to be searched than the rest of the country, while ethnic minorities are four times more likely.

The Assembly’s working group on stop and search is questioning senior Met officers in public and leading figures from the community.

Its chair Jenny Jones said: “Home Office studies show that stop and search has a tiny impact on reducing crime, yet disproportionate use against ethnic communities and young people as a whole has a detrimental impact on cooperation with police.”

The Met’s Supt Andy Morgan and Chief Supt Matthew Gardner are being questioned, as well as Peter Olawaye, the Stop and Search Chair of Hackney’s Council for Voluntary Service, and other community activists.

The session at City Hall, near Tower Bridge, is open to the public and can also be viewed live from 2pm by webcast.