THE spokesman for the family of missing chef Claudia Lawrence has called for an independent inquiry into the suspected murder investigation.

Martin Dales, spokesman for Claudia’s father, Peter Lawrence, also launched another stinging attack on the failure of North Yorkshire Police to keep the public updated on the progress of the inquiry.

He was speaking following the announcement that the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) has been commissioned by the force to carry out a second external review of the investigation.

More than £600,000 has been spent on the 14-month inquiry, which has come under increasing public scrutiny as detectives show no sign of solving the baffling case.

Mr Dales said: “Whilst I welcome news that the NPIA is coming in to review matters again, it is ‘the police policing police’ and their reports are only made public if the Chief Constable wants them to be, which is unsatisfactory.

“After all this time, people expect to know what the police have been, and are still doing, even if some confidential operational detail has to be omitted.

“What is really needed now is an urgent independent inquiry with a public report: nothing less will do and transparency is vital if trust is to be restored in North Yorkshire Police.”

Mr Dales, who has given regular press conferences alongside Mr Lawrence since Claudia disappeared on March 18 last year, said he also believed fresh personnel was required to move the case forward.

“Over the past year, despite the great efforts of the police in devoting huge resources in terms of both police officers and support staff and spending over £600,000, we are clearly little further on in finding Claudia than on day one,” he said.

“Sadly, although the police continue to keep in touch with the family, they have now developed a bunker mentality whereby they are not engaging with either the public or the media.

“For instance, after many offers from broadcasters, Channel 4 has been selected and has been filming a documentary for the last eight weeks, but North Yorkshire Police has so far declined to take part.

“This cannot be right in terms of accountability of a publicly funded service, helping to keep Claudia in the public’s mind, and supporting Peter and his family’s exhausting efforts to find her.”

The number of complaints to North Yorkshire Police has surged from 392 to 496 in the past year – but only one complaint has been submitted in connection with the investigation in to Claudia’s disappearance.

Detective Superintendent Ray Galloway, who is leading the investigation, said: “The force has not received any complaints about incivility or rudeness of any officers working on the investigation into Claudia's disappearance and there is no link whatsoever in the rise in complaints generally, and the professionalism of the team working on the investigation.

“Despite hundreds of intrusive searches of people's homes and potentially difficult situations, no complaints about rudeness or incivility have been received.”

He added that the force had voluntarily requested a further review of the inquiry by the NPIA.