§ Lord Brockwayasked Her Majesty's Government:
What action they propose to take in response to evidence by the Society of Teachers Opposed to Physical Punishment that 38 authorities are ignoring Government advice that corporal punishment be banned in community homes.
§ Lord Cullen of AshbourneAlthough the Government are in favour of the discontinuance of corporal punishment in community homes, they believe that final discretion should rest with the local authorities who have the responsibility of running the homes. The recent report of the Working Party on Control and Discipline, with its valuable insight into the nature of good personal and professional relationships between staff and children, should play an important part in reassuring authorities and their staffs about the desirability, practicability and effectiveness of alternative methods. The Government prefer persuasion and professional advice of this kind to imposing their views by legislation.