HC Deb 04 February 1987 vol 109 c666W
Mr. Foulkes

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response he has received from the British Virgin Islands and Montserrat to his request that judicial corporal punishment should cease.

Mr. Eggar

We have instructed governors concerned to attempt to obtain the local administration's agreement to remove judicial corporal punishment from the statute book. But we understand that there is a strong opposition to such a move.

We have obtained assurances that judicial birching will be used in the territories only in exceptional circumstances.