Part of 2. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children – in the Senedd at 2:39 pm on 14 September 2016.
Cabinet Secretary, you’ll be supported if you bring forward legislation in this area from this Conservative anyway. [Interruption.] Well, I do recall in previous Assemblies that I was joined by a number of colleagues on these benches in saying it’s time to move on and end this practice. I have to say that I don’t completely agree with the wording of this question, because, clearly, children would be protected in current law from physical attack. We are talking about what previous generations called ‘reasonable chastisement’. But I agree with Julie Morgan, it’s all about supporting parents, and that’s not only just education, but ensuring our public services are there, so that we have effective childcare, for instance, and other areas of support, so that parents don’t feel under great pressure, which sometimes can lead to frustration and a lack of control. So, it’s a whole package. But it is now high time that we passed a law in this area.