Montgomeryshire Assembly Member, Russell George, said that imposing such a ban on parents in Wales was ‘ludicrous’ and was very much an invasion of the state into family life.
During the debate, Mr George also raised the point in relation to how the proposed legislation would be enforced and monitored.
Commenting after the debate Mr George said:
“As far as I am concerned there is a clear difference between reasonable chastisement, administered as a last resort by loving, responsible parents and child abuse; and the vast majority of parents are well able to recognise that.
“As the many constituents who have contacted me on this issue have told me, there is a clear difference in purpose, motivation, context and effect.
“The other issue is enforcement. Good legislation needs to be properly implemented and enforced – how will this be policed in individual households?
“I believe there is a real danger that children will be put more at risk if a ban was put in place because it would inevitably put pressure on already overstretched child protection resources, which would place genuinely abused children at risk of greater harm.
“This is an unprecedented level of unnecessary and potentially damaging state intrusion in families where children are looked after well and are at no risk of abuse.
“I don’t think that I or other politician’s should be telling parents how they should be bringing up their children.”
