A mother whose daughter died from vCJD has called for a simpler system to award compensation to the families of victims and those who have lost loved ones to the disease.

ITN News reports that Annie McVey’s 15-year-old daughter Claire died from vCJD in 2000. She is leading a case in the High Court to press for simpler arrangement for families to claim compensation.

Mrs McVey – who comes from Kentisbury Ford, near Barnstaple in Devon – has had her own claim settled, but said that the anguish of families who have been bereaved has been ‘compounded’ by difficulties in the compensation scheme.

Trustees of the scheme acknowledged in 2004 that reforms would be needed. Counsel for Mrs McVey and other families said that there was an ‘ongoing failure’ by the government to rectify the system of compensation payments to victims of vCJD.

The action by Mrs McVey and other families is being contested on behalf of the Secretary of State.

Mr Justice Silber has already indicated that he will reserve his ruling. The case is expected to finish this week.

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