<p>The Defence of Reasonable Chastisement</p>

Part of 2. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children – in the Senedd at 2:22 pm on 22 June 2016.

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Photo of Carl Sargeant Carl Sargeant Labour 2:22, 22 June 2016

I thank Julie Morgan, a long-standing campaigner on this very issue, and I’m looking forward to working with her too. If competence is assessed on the basis of the amendments that will be made to the Government of Wales Act 2006 by the Wales Bill as currently drafted, the argument that provision about smacking children is outside competence because it amends the criminal law is likely to no longer be an issue. There are other issues relevant to competence, such as compatibility with the European convention on human rights, however, which will be unchanged. These are all complex issues in legal terms but we are working through them and working with partners to achieve the positive outcome the Member wishes.