"Radical action" is needed to tackle the "shocking" under-representation of black and minority ethnic (BME) people in police forces in England and Wales, a Commons committee has warned.

Ministers were urged to appoint a new diversity champion to hold the service to account over the issue.

No force in England and Wales has a BME representation which matches its local demographic, the Home Affairs committee said.

It cited figures showing that last year, 5.5% of officers were from a BME background, compared to 14% of the population.

Representation is "even lower" in the senior ranks, according to the committee's report.

Only two out of 201 chief officers self-identify as BME, while 11 forces have no BME officers above even the rank of chief inspector, according to previously published data.

Labour MP Keith Vaz, chairman of the committee, said: "The lack of black and minority ethnic representation in our police forces is stark and shocking, and no one looking at this picture can believe it promotes effective policing.

"In order to police by consent in 21st-Century Britain, the police service must mirror the communities they represent, in religion, race and ethnicity."

He added: "If we compare the figures from 1999 and 2015, representation of the population in our police forces has progressed at a snail's pace.

"This was unacceptable in 1999 and it's totally unacceptable now. It is as if the Macpherson report was never written.

"Despite good intentions from senior officers, diversity and representation in police forces has consistently failed to improve, we must take radical action now."

The Macpherson report on the Stephen Lawrence case, published in 1999, found evidence of "institutional racism" in Britain's largest force, the Metropolitan Police.

The committee outlined a number of steps to be taken.

It called for Home Secretary Theresa May - who attacked the lack of black and minority ethnic officers and women in the police service in a speech last year - to appoint a national "Diversity Champion" by May next year.

The person in the post would have "the authority to hold all police forces to account for achieving proper community representation throughout the ranks, including at the most senior levels, and in specialist roles, by collecting and publishing data, promulgating best practice, and providing practical advice," the report said.

Practical steps could be taken to improve the retention and progression of BME officers, it said, including: compulsory training on diversity issues for selection and promotion panel members; introducing coaching and mentoring for BME officers; and ensuring that units which deal with complaints from officers on personnel matters receive dedicated training on diversity issues.

Superintendent Manjit Thandi, diversity lead at the College of Policing, said: "Police need to represent the communities they serve and right now that is not happening enough.

"We are tackling this and have already delivered a bespoke evaluation and action plan to all 43 police forces to improve the recruitment, development, progression and retention of BME officers and staff."