Update 7.34pm:

THE Senedd voted against introducing a ban on smacking children in Wales following a heated debate this evening.
The vote on amendment 66 was part of the amended Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Bill tabled by Cardiff North AM Julie Morgan. 
36 AMs voted against the amendment, with 16 voting in favour of it. Parents are still able to physically discipline their children under the legal defence of “reasonable chastisement”. 
In the debate yesterday, Public Services minister Leighton Andrews said: “This bill is not the right place for this and I’m strongly of that view. 
“This is a landmark bill, the first of its kind in the UK, and we must keep our focus on the issues it wishes to address.
“We should not put it in jeopardy for this issue.”
South Wales East AM Jocelyn Davies, who supported the amendment, said: “I was a smacker who loved my son. I wouldn’t have put a hand on him if I had my time back. 
“I did it for the right reasons. When society and culture condones it, that’s how you behave.
“Children are much more vulnerable and they do not have that protection.”
Torfaen AM Lynne Neagle, who said she was voting against the amendment, said:
“It’s not the right thing to tag an issue of such enormity with a piece of legislation like this.
“There has been very little public consultation and it is worthy of open consultation.”
South Wales East AM Lindsay Whittle, who supported the amendment, said: “Hitting children is a form of domestic abuse. Children have a right to not be hit.
“Hitting children inevitably leads to them accepting violence in getting their own way.
“People admire people with courage of their convictions. Where Wales leads, England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland will follow.
"When you all examine your political life will you be able to reflect and say I did the right thing?”
South Wales East AM Mohammad Asghar, who was against the amendment, said: “We were all children once. We should not stop mothers having the divine right to touch our children.
“We all know what’s happening with radicalisation, because we are not disciplining children in this country.
“We don’t want our future generations going in the wrong direction.”

 

EARLIER:

THE Welsh Assembly is debating whether to introduce a ban on smacking children in Wales.

Currently parents are able to physically discipline their children under the legal defence of “reasonable chastisement”.

Gwent AMs Lindsay Whittle and Jocelyn Davies both want to remove this defence.

They hope it can be included in the Violence against Women, Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Bill.

But Public Services minister Leighton Andrews has previously said this bill is the "wrong vehicle" to change the law on smacking and the Welsh Government has ruled out any change before the next assembly election in 2016.

A requirement to educate school pupils about healthy relationships was among amendments to the bill and was narrowly defeated.

The Welsh government said that the final vote could take place next week.

But if enough AMs vote to block it, it could go to a report stage with new amendments considered.

Plaid AM Jocelyn Davies said: “As it stands, there is nothing in this bill that could not be achieved without the legislation. Without provision of education then this bill will do little to change the culture that surrounds gender-based violence. Preventing domestic abuse must include teaching people about healthy relationships.”

Her fellow Plaid AM for South Wales East Lindsay Whittle said: “The debate this afternoon was an opportunity for the Welsh Government to finally act on over 12 years of policy commitments by closing a loophole in the law to make the physical punishment of children illegal.

“It is hugely disappointing that even when the Government had the perfect opportunity and the powers to act, it lacked the courage to do the right thing.

“Removing the defence of ‘reasonable punishment’ from parents who are charged with common assault against their children is a small legal reform that sends a big message about positive parenting techniques.”