The Metropolitan Police is attempting to have a damages claim brought by the parents of murdered black teenager Stephen Lawrence thrown out by the High Court, it has confirmed.

It follows a rejection by Doreen and Neville Lawrence of a "generous" out-of-court settlement, it said.

The move was revealed as a conference to discuss efforts to tackle police racism attacked the force for failing to address the problem one year after the publication of the damning Macpherson report.

The Met was reported to have offered the couple about £180,000 to settle their claim over the force's failure to catch their son's killers.

Now Scotland Yard says, because it is publicly accountable for its finances, it is seeking to have the Lawrence case struck out.

'Generous payment'

A spokesman said: "We made a generous ex gratia payment offer to Mr and Mrs Lawrence to settle their claims but it has been rejected.

"As a public body accountable for our public funds, we are seeking a court ruling on whether their civil actions against the Met are legitimate legal claims sustainable in law.

"However this is not expected to be heard for several months as we are awaiting rulings from the House of Lords on other cases that may have implications on this case."

Mrs Lawrence said from the conference: "I think as far as the police are concerned I'm not even going to comment.

"They just throw things up when it suits them."

The news was expected to fuel criticism by families of victims of racial violence, who were meeting with campaigners, lawyers and political commentators at the central London conference.

The event marks 12 months since the publication of the Macpherson report, compiled after Stephen's death.

The one-day conference heard several families recount their poor experiences of policing in the last year.

Taken up challenge

When Sir William published his report in February last year he said he hoped police would seize the opportunity for "root and branch" reform of race relations.

Forces nationwide have taken up the challenge, with the Met announcing on Saturday that a giant computer database containing the names and details of known or suspected racists has helped police boost arrests by 500% since it was set up in 1998.

It said the files have helped detectives link racially motivated incidents and target serial offenders ranging from far-right extremists to people spraying racist graffiti.

But campaigners at the conference said there has been no significant improvement.

They pointed to the deaths of Harold McGowan and his nephew Jason, both found hanged in Telford, Shropshire.

West Mercia Police said both were suicides but the McGowan family believe they may have been racially-motivated murders.

Since his report was published, Sir William has accused some police officers of "whingeing" about having to implement the recommendations.

The Home Office says it has accepted all of Sir William's recommendations and implemented more than half of them already. But it is under no illusions - there is still a long way to go.