§ Mr. Kilroy-Silkasked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many and which local education authorities have banned the use of corporal punishment in schools for mentally handicapped children; and whether, in the light of the recent ruling by the Court of Human Rights, he will take steps to require all local authorities to ban corporal punishment in these schools.
§ Dr. BoysonThe Department does not collect statistics about the use of corporal punishment in special schools. The recent judgment of the European Court of Human Rights concerns the need to respect the philosophical convictions of parents who do not wish their children to be subject to corporal punishment in schools. The Government are considering the implications of the judgment.