Tory MS airs shock at cost of £1,650,098 smacking ban

A TORY Senedd Member has spoken of her shock at the millionpound-plus cost of the Welsh Government’s ‘nanny-state‘ smacking ban.

The controversial smacking ban is set to become law on March 21, 2022. The Children (Abolition of Defence of Reasonable Punishment) (Wales) Act 2020 will make physically punishing children illegal in Wales.

Aberconwy MS Janet FinchSaunders submitted a Freedom of Information (FoI) request, asking how much the Welsh Government has spent on the development and introduction of the Act.

It revealed the Welsh Government spent £1,650,098 on the development and introduction of the Act between May 2016 and January 4, 2022.

The spending figure was taken to mean invoices paid for goods or services and grant claims paid.

The figure provided does not include what are described as financial commitments or opportunity costs.

Mrs Finch-Saunders said: “I am astounded that over one and a half million pounds of taxpayers’ money has been ploughed into this nanny-state intervention that unreasonably criminalises good parents and intrudes excessively on family life.

“While we all continue to strive to create the safest possible environment for our children here in Wales, instead of introducing unnecessary additions to the statute book, this money could have gone towards supporting our already overstretched social services and education avenues.

“Having led the opposition to this Act during the last Senedd, you can be sure that I will continue to scrutinise its impact on society.”