§ Baroness Davidasked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Baroness David on 14 December 1998 (WA 135,) whether corporal punishment of children:
is still permitted under existing legislation in the Crown Dependencies of Guernsey; Jersey; and the Isle of Man. [HL3068]10WA
- (a) by parents;
- (b) in schools;
- (c) in residential institutions for children; and
- (d) in the penal system (either as a sentence of the courts or as a punishment in penal institutions);
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord Bassam of Brighton)The position in relation to corporal punishment of children in schools, in residential institutions and in the penal system remains as given in the answer by my right honourable friend the Attorney General and then Minister of State for the Home Department, Lord Williams of Mostyn, on 14 December 1998, (Official Report, WA 123). Corporal punishment of children by parents is still permitted in the Crown Dependencies of Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man. The common law of Guernsey permits parents to use reasonable corporal punishment in the chastisement of their children. In Jersey, there is no legislation currently prohibiting corporal punishment of children by parents. Article 9(5) of the Children (Jersey) Law 1969 provides that: "nothing in this Article shall be construed as affecting the right of any parent, teacher or other person having the lawful control or charge of a child to administer punishment to him". The law in the Isle of Man is that parents may administer "reasonable chastisement" to their children.