§ Baroness Davidasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, in the light of their obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, and of the provision in the School Standards and Framework Bill, which extends abolition of corporal punishment to cover nursery education, the Department of Health will now withdraw the guidance in Local Authority Circular (94)23 which condones corporal punishment of children by childminders. [HL2095]
§ Baroness BlackstoneThe Government announced in November 1997 their plans to consult on the law relating to the use of physical punishment by parents. The Government are also currently consulting on the future framework of regulatory standards for early education and daycare. The structure of the new regulatory framework will be informed by the outcome of the consultation on the law. In advance of the outcome of these consultations, the Government have no plans to withdraw the Department of Health's Circular LAC (94)23, responsibility for which has now been assumed by the Department for Education and Employment.