A controversial measure that would ban all corporal punishment against children is scheduled for a vote in the British Parliament on Tuesday. The proposal has caused major divisions in Prime Minister Tony Blair's Labour Party which officially opposes the ban. Many Labour MPs support a complete ban on physical punishment despite the offical party line to allow it under certain circumstances.

Many European countries have already banned all forms of physical punishment against children including Norway, Sweden, Finland, Austria and Denmark.

Presently, the law in England permits parents to use 'reasonable chastisement' against their children including physical punishment. Supporters of the ban say that children should have the same protection against physical harm that adults have and that in almost all cases of physical abuse, parents begin with 'reasonable chastisement' and then advance to physical abuse when that proves ineffective.

Under the proposed law, the Crown could prosecute a parent for using physical punishment against their children. A number of amendments to the bill presently before the House of Commons are expected to be introduced so the final draft of the proposal is not yet certain.