Shoesmith legal action costs Ofsted and Department for Education close to £500k

The cost to Ofsted and the Department for Education in defending legal proceedings brought by Sharon Shoesmith has already reached nearly £500,000, it has emerged.

In a written answer to Charlotte Leslie MP, Children’s Minister Tim Loughton revealed that Ofsted had incurred costs of £331,059 defending the action.

This includes payments to the Treasury Solicitor, counsel’s fees and VAT. There were further in-house staffing costs which were not readily identifiable, Loughton said.

The DfE has meanwhile run up costs of £92,753.09 (including VAT) in respect of representation in the legal proceedings by the Treasury Solicitor, plus a further £57,425.25 (including VAT) in respect of counsel.

The Department has also incurred unidentifiable costs resulting from the involvement of in-house lawyers and policy officials, Loughton said.

In a High Court ruling published on 1 September 2010, Mr Justice Foskett ordered Shoesmith to pay just £25,000 (including VAT) towards the Secretary of State’s costs, even though he had rejected her claims in his April 2010 judgement. The DfE had asked for some £138,000 to be awarded.

Mr Justice Foskett declined to make an order for costs between Ofsted and the claimant, but did order Haringey to pay her  £10,000.

The judge also granted Shoesmith permission to appeal his judgment.