The father of murdered loyalist leader Billy Wright has accused the government of "undermining" the independence of an inquiry into his death.

David Wright was speaking after meeting the Secretary of State, John Reid, on Wednesday when he sought assurances that the government would disclose all information over the death.

Wright, leader of the loyalist paramilitary splinter group the Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF), was shot dead while serving a sentence in the Maze prison on 27 December 1997.

David Wright: Believes son's killing was a result of conspiracy

He was killed by three members of the republican paramilitary Irish National Liberation Army.

The killing is one of a number of controversial cases being investigated by a judge appointed by the British and Irish governments.

After Wednesday's meeting, Mr Wright said he was "unhappy" that the government had appointed five British officials to work for the judge.

Jane Winter of the British-Irish Human Rights Watch said she also shared concerns about the independence of the inquiry, as did other families.

The secretary of state said that the government was "committed to co-operating fully with the investigation, and to ensuring that Mr Justice Cory has the support and resources he needs to carry it out.

John Reid: Government "committed to co-operating with inquiry"

"Mr Justice Cory is an eminent and highly experienced lawyer and judge and should he propose a public inquiry into any of these cases, we will implement that recommendation."

In May, the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission called for an independent, international inquiry into the murder.

The commission said that, having examined all the facts of the case, it believed such a process was the most likely way to establish what happened.

Chief Commissioner Professor Brice Dickson, said it was commission's view that that "a full-scale public inquiry should be initiated".

Mr Wright's father has been pressing for an inquiry into his son's murder.

He believes that the authorities colluded in the murder in the high security prison.

His son, from Portadown in County Armagh, founded the LVF splitting away from the mainstream paramilitary Ulster Volunteer Force.