Welsh Govt throws millions at ‘pernicious’ smacking ban

Simon Calvert, a spokesman for the Be Reasonable campaign commented: “Ordinary hard working Welsh people will be horrified at the amount of their money the Government is throwing at the smacking ban when we are in the midst of the worst cost-of-living crisis in living memory.

“People from Penarth to Conwy, will rightly want to know if ministers think spending millions on publicity for the ban is money well spent, especially at a time when hundreds of thousands of people are struggling to pay their heating bills, or their weekly shop.”

Mr Calvert, continued: “This eye-watering figure never appeared in official documentation or was voted on by elected representatives. Perhaps we should not be surprised as ministers repeatedly claimed the new legislation would not criminalise loving parents for giving their child a tap on the leg for misbehaving – a line the first minister was maintaining until official guidance, issued in February. The guidance said clearly, if you see or suspect a parent is smacking their child, the Government wants you to call the police or social services and parents suspected of smacking face arrest, prosecution even jail. No wonder the Welsh Government’s own survey shows public support for legislation banning smacking fell from 46% in 2019 to just 38% in 2020.

“Day by day the reasons put forward by the Welsh Government have fallen away. It is time for the Welsh Government to drop this pernicious and unnecessary ban.”

ENDS