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Children, Schools and Families Bill

My Lords, briefly, I warmly support what the noble Baroness has said. As usual, she has put the case clearly and comprehensively, and she should be congratulated on that. I would make a few points. First, I am glad that she emphasised that the Government have tried to move in the right direction on this and that this amendment is to help, as it were, underline and strengthen the direction that the Government have taken. It is in no way hostile to government policy but to strengthen it, and in that sense it should be taken very seriously. Personally, I find it absolutely extraordinary that, in the 21st century, we can still have institutionalised in law the concept that children can be attacked. It is no accident that the language of the law uses the term "battery", which gives us a good deal of grounds for concern. It is also sad that we are not in the vanguard of the drive throughout Europe to make sure that civilised values are paramount at all times in our treatment of the most vulnerable in our society, who are of course children. I also make the point that at a time when we are preoccupied as a nation—and rightly so—by the issue of child abuse in other forms, it is certainly dangerous to have a law which is so unclear about what is permitted and what is not. I have always believed that it is absolutely essential in this area to have clear-cut language which sends a direct message to all concerned. However, the wash-up is not the time for a debate on the merits or demerits of chastisement of children by anybody. It is a time to clarify the intention of the Government at the moment. I believe that this amendment seeks to do that, and in that sense I commend it to the Committee.