Birmingham Perry Barr MP Khalid Mahmood is to write to the head of Birmingham City Council demanding an investigation into social services' contact with the family of Khyra Ishaq.

Mr Mahmood claimed the youngster, who died last Saturday, and her siblings were removed from school by her mother 10 weeks ago amid claims of bullying.

The MP has been told that an educational social worker then paid a visit to the seven-year-old's family home, but that no further follow-up checks took place.

"I just find that amazing. It just beggars belief that we have allowed this to happen, especially when an educational social worker has been once ... and then no action at all," the Labour MP said.

Speaking near Khyra's home in Leyton Road, Handsworth, Birmingham, Mr Mahmood pledged to write to the chief executive of Birmingham City Council.

"There are structural issues here within the local authority that need to be addressed," he said.

"I will be asking the local authority at the first available opportunity to account for their inaction. There are lessons to be learned here - we have to be far more stringent with people who don't take their children to school."

Khyra was rushed to the Birmingham Children's Hospital on Saturday, where she died.

Sources have said the youngster is believed to have died of starvation, although police say the cause of death is yet to be confirmed.