06:17
Tieng Anh Vui
The police watchdog says it cannot investigate claims Stephen Lawrence's family were subject to a police smear campaign because of a lack of evidence.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission said while the allegations made by a former officer were "serious" they could not be properly assessed.
Peter Francis claims to have posed as an anti-racism campaigner after the murder but has not spoken to the IPCC.
He has previously said he would only speak to a public inquiry.
However, the IPCC says it will investigate former West Yorkshire police chief, Sir Norman Bettison, over allegations he tried to undermine a witness giving evidence to an inquiry into the Lawrence murder investigation.
'Grave misconduct'
Black teenager Stephen, 18, was stabbed to death in an unprovoked attack by a gang of white youths as he waited at a bus stop in south-east London in April 1993.
A number of suspects were identified but it took more than 18 years to bring his killers to justice. The Macpherson Inquiry into the case accused the police of institutional racism and found failings in how they had investigated the murder.
Last month former undercover officer Mr Francis told the Guardian and Channel 4's Dispatches programme that after Stephen's killing he posed as an anti-racism campaigner in a hunt for "disinformation".
The claims were referred to the IPCC last month, but IPCC deputy chairman Deborah Glass said they could not be properly assessed.
She said Mr Francis had so far refused to talk to a review of undercover policing, which is being overseen by Chief Constable Mick Creedon of Derbyshire Police, and had not responded to requests from the IPCC.
Ms Glass said: "I have written to Mr Francis to ask if he would be willing to speak to the IPCC. I have not yet had a response, so can only rely on his statements as reported in the Guardian that he is only willing to assist a public inquiry.
"While the allegations are serious, and indicate potential grave misconduct, there is as yet no information or evidence to support them and the fact that the maker of the allegations is unwilling to talk to anyone in a position to investigate them means that their credibility cannot properly be assessed at this stage."
'Inappropriate and intrusive'
Sir Norman was referred to the IPCC by West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Burns-Williamson.
He is alleged to have commissioned a report on one of the witnesses at the Macpherson Inquiry at a regional hearing in Bradford in 1998.
Ms Glass said: "From the evidence provided in support of the referral, although there is a suggestion that the reason for carrying out the research was to risk assess the likelihood of any public disorder, the intelligence gathering requested appears to have been both inappropriate and intrusive.
"In the absence of legitimate justification for the research there is an indication of misuse of police information systems and unlawful processing of the witness's (sensitive) personal data by all involved. This would be a clear indication of recordable conduct concerning this tasking.
"This matter therefore requires investigation. The investigation should also consider whether the tasking was motivated or influenced by racial discrimination."
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