Family's distress at vCJD scheme

Emma Alonso was already ill with vCJD when she got married in 2005

A family which lost a member to the human form of mad cow disease has criticised a compensation scheme set up by the government.

Emma Alonso, from Redhill in Surrey, died last year after contracting variant CJD (vCJD).

Her husband and father's MP has taken up the case after they complained about being asked to give details about how much they were grieving.

The Department of Health said it had apologised for any distress caused.

'Difficult questions'

The compensation scheme is operated by The vCJD Trust and its claims process was set up with input from families of previous victims.

Mrs Alonso's father, Dave Joad, said: "They decide how emotionally upset you are and how it's affected you, [but] how do you say that?

"You lost your only daughter and your only child, you can imagine how upset we are."

Crispin Blunt, the Conservative MP for Reigate, said: "Difficult and intrusive questions in the wake of a tragedy like this should be avoided if at all possible."

Mr Blunt has sent in a formal request for a meeting to discuss the matter at the Department of Health.

Mr Joad and his daughter's widower, Dave Alonso, are now in training for the London Marathon to try to raise money for the hospice where she died.