§ Mr. Bill Walkerasked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in introducing legislation to provide for parents of pupils in education authority schools to have the option to exempt their children from corporal punishment, he will also make provision regarding the position of pupils in schools not in the public sector.
§ Mr. YoungerIn considering further what must be done to ensure compliance with the judgment of the European Court, I have concluded that it will be necessary to take account of the position of those pupils whose education is directly provided for wholly or in part from central Government or local authority funds. The option for exemption from corporal punishment will therefore be made available in respect of all pupils in assisted or aided places or in grant-aided schools and to those placed in independent schools by a local authority.